Sharks name unchanged team
The Sharks will leave their entire match-22 unchanged for the Super Rugby clash against the Force in Durban on Saturday.
There is still no place in the matchday squad for Springbok flank Willem Alberts as he battles form and a recent return from a shoulder injury. Fullback Riaan Viljoen also sits out after featuring prominently during the early part of the season.
Instead, Louis Ludik is retained at number 15, with JP Pietersen staying on the wing to accommodate rising young centre star Paul Jordaan.
Two other Springbok forwards, Jean Deysel and Ryan Kankowski – also on their way back from injury – have to be content with places on the sidelines as well.
Tendai Mtawarira is set to play his second game of the season after returning from a three-month lay-off last week.
“Hopefully those injuries that we've had are a thing of a past and we can move forward with a set squad,” coach John Plumtree said this week.
The seventh-placed Sharks overcame the Highlanders 28-16 last week to stay in touch with the teams above them, while the Force remain in the bottom three.
“The Force are a well-drilled unit,” Plumtree added.
“They don't go away easily and even though they've lost a few games, they haven't lost by many. You can't take anything for granted in this competition and we won't be doing any such thing against the Force.”
The Sharks team: Louis Ludik, JP Pietersen, Paul Jordaan, Tim Whitehead, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Charl McLeod, Keegan Daniel (captain), Marcell Coetzee, Jacques Botes, Anton Bresler, Steven Sykes, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: Craig Burden, Wiehahn Herbst, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean Deysel, Ryan Kankowski, Frederic Michalak, Meyer Bosman.
