Category: Currie Cup

Coach Vowles has mostly stayed with the same squad with just one change with Pieterse at 8 and Mavesere moving to 6.

The Sharks still has a tiny mathematical chance to reach the semis but will require Boland to lose against Griquas without any bonus log points, Stormers and Lions to draw and score 4 tries and beat the Bulls by 29 points. Should both the Pumas and Boland lose their games without bonus points the Sharks just have to score 4 tries. So basically the Sharks are playing for pride.

The Sharks (with a very small mathematical chance of making the top 4 on 10 log points) will face the Lions (13 log points) in Pietermaritzburg on Friday night. Hopefully the coaches have worked on the scrum, lineout and kicking as the Sharks were really poor in all these departments against the Griquas. Slabbert coming back into the team should at least improve the lineout.

Coach Vowles have rotated / rested a number of players for the game against the current Currie Cup champions. Great to see all the youngsters but I still can’t follow why at least not some second tier URC players are not included in this group.

Coach Vowles has made a number of changes to the team that lost to the Stormers last weekend. Rambo Kubheka replaces Cameron Dawson. Tino Mavesere comes back into the team at 8 with Ross Braude taking over as captain. Lyle Matthews moves to 13 with Khuthi Rashivanga starting at 11.

Coach Vowles has selected a number of Junior Boks for the clash in Cape Town (3rd away game in a row). Luan Giliomee is still available for the Sharks although he is moving to Pretoria before the URC starts. Liam van Wyk, Rambo Kubheka and Khuthi Rasivhaga have all been selected on the bench.

Another tough away game awaits the Sharks on Friday night. Coach Vowles have gone for continuity with only two changes – Danio Botha replaces the injured Jannes Potgieter and Bryce Calvert comes in at hooker replacing Jacques Marais.

Faf de Klerk has added another dimension to the Cheetahs team. The Sharks will want to continue the form they showed in the first half against the Pumas.

New Currie Cup coach Mike Vowles has selected world traveler Tim Swiel at 10 next to Ross Braude. Marnus Potgieter is the other old hand on the back line. Kerron van Vuuren also makes a return to Durban to anchor the front row. Thomas Dyer will captain the team for 8.

JPP has selected a strong but likely undercooked team for the clash against the Pumas. Fez Mbatha, Emile van Heerden, Manu Tshituka, Vincent Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi, Jaden Hendrikse, Francois Venter and Yaw Penxe will see their first game in the Currie Cup. The Pumas still have a chance to reach the semi-finals whereas the Sharks can at best end up at 6th position on the log.

Siya Masuku will bring plenty of experience to the Sharks team for the game against Boland. Jacques Marais and Mawande Mdanda will start in the front row. Paschal Ekeji and Albie Bester will start at 11 and 12. Jannes Potgieter swaps with Bathobele Hlekani and moves to the starting team.

Coach JPP made 7 changes to the team that managed to win the first half against the Griquas in Kimberley. Jean Smith comes in at flyhalf, Jaco Williams moves to wing and Hakeem Kunene is back at 15. Liam van Wyk replaces Bryce Calvert at hooker with Tino Mavesere back at open side. Coetzee Le Roux is back at lock.