Mixed bag against Clermont

Coach JPP has selected a team with some of his first choice players (Ox, Bongi, Jenkins, Fassi, Jordan, etc) while resting big guns like Siya Kolisi, Vincent Tshituka, Grant Williams, Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker and Edwill van der Merwe.

The selections do make sense as the Sharks have little chance of qualifying for the round of 16 in the Champions Cup. They are still very likely to qualify for the Challenge Cup round of 16 by virtue of finishing 5th in their pool (unless Clermont can score 4 tries, keep the Sharks to fewer than 4 and beat the Sharks by more than 22 points). Clermont will very likely send a development team in any case and rest their key players for the Top 14.

The only negative to this strategy is that the rested players may be a bit rusty come the important games against the Stormers.

15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Le Roux Malan, 12 Jurenzo Julius, 11 PK Sobahle, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Nick Hatton (c), 7 Manu Tshituka, 6 Matt Ramao, 5 Jason Jenkins, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Emile van Heerden, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Hakeem Kunene.