The Sharks have lost Eben Etzebeth due to a knee injury, but are welcoming back Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Tshituka on the bench. Plum has selected a fairly strong pack and his most experienced back line.
Siya Masuku will likely make his debut for the Sharks in the second half, with Bradley Davids coming in for Grant Williams.
(more…)Dave Williams (or Neil Powell) has made just two rotational changes to the starting lineup – James Venter and Jaden Hendrikse swaps with Tinotenda Mavesere and Grant Williams. However Dan Jooste, Coenie Oosthuizen, Le Roux Roets, Lionel Cronje and Rohan Janse van Rensburg all move onto the bench. Eben Etzebeth is rested for this match. On that topic hopefully this plus the following three weeks counts towards Eben’s mandatory break.
(more…)Teams like the Lions (9 log points) and Ospreys (9 log points) have already qualified for the round of 16, but no-one in Pool 1 (even Sharks with 12 log points and Cheetahs with 9 log points) have yet qualified.
(more…)Plum has kept the same back line, but has made some changes in the pack with Corne Rahl swapping with Eben Etzebeth. Tino Masevere gets his first start in an international competition with Diego Appollis and Eduan Keyter likely making their debuts in the second half. Khwezi Mona comes onto the bench in place of Joel Hintz (who has looked very uncomfortable in the last two games).
(more…)Plum has made some rotational changes to the team that played in Cape Town. Fez Mbatha starts at hooker alongside Hanro Jacobs. Gerbrandt Grobler gets a start in the 5 jersey and Grant Williams and Jaden Hendrikse swaps places. Rohan jVR is back on the bench.
(more…)Emile van Heerden will again feature at 5 lock with Lappies Labuschagne adding some beef to the loose trio with Phepsi moving to the back of the scrum. Jaden Hendrikse swaps with Grant Williams with the rest of the backline remaining the same as the one that lost against the Cheetahs.
(more…)Plum had made two changes to the starting team – Werner Kok is back at wing and Le Roux Roets starts in the 5 jersey. It should make any front row happy knowing that Etzebeth and Roets are providing the go forward behind them.
(more…)Plum has shuffled his team around after the hiding the Sharks received in Loftus. Ox Nche will start along with Kerron van Vuuren. Corne Rahl replaces Emile van Heerden and may have to compete in the lineouts against the wily Sam Whitelock who joined Pau after the World Cup.
(more…)Hard grafting Werner Kok has suffered a hamstring niggle and is replaced by Aphiwe Dyantyi. Apart from that injury enforced change, Plum has selected exactly the same team as last week.
(more…)Plum has hauled out the big artillery for the game against the Dragons. Eben Etzebeth and Ox Nche (from the bench) will add some much needed muscle in the pack while Jaden Hendrikse and Grant Williams (from the bench) will hopefully add some starting zip to the attack (Cam Wright actually did a pretty decent holding job in the mean time). Makazole Mapimpi should improve the finishing of opportunities.
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