Sharks bolster bench for Blues game

It is probably apt that at a time when consistency is such a buzzword for the Cell C Sharks, coach Robert du Preez should go with the continuity theme and the mantra that you don’t change a winning team in his selection for the first home game of the season.

The Sharks follow up their 45-10 away win over the Sunwolves last weekend by hosting the Blues at Jonnson King’s Park and this will be an acid test for the Sharks in that they will be looking to do something they have rarely managed in recent seasons - namely back up one good performance with another one.

The Durbanites boast an excellent record against the Blues, a team they haven’t lost to in quite a while, and will back themselves to get the job done on their home ground.

However, there have been hints from the Blues in the pre-season and on the opening weekend of Super Rugby that they might be a different team this year now that a few switches have been made to the coaching group as well as new personnel, such as All Black centre Ma’a Nonu, being lured to Auckland.

If it is a close game the Sharks will need to rely on 23 players to win it, and in that regard coach Du Preez will feel he is better off than last week, with two Springboks returning to add depth on the bench.

Curwin Bosch, now over the knock that kept him from travelling to Singapore, replaces Rhyno Smith as the flyhalf/fullback cover, while big Thomas du Toit, who was injured in the build-up to Super Hero Day in Cape Town nearly three weeks ago, is back in the squad as a front-row reserve. He replaces Kutha Mchunu, who impressed in his debut appearance for the Sharks against the Sunwolves.

This is an important game for the Sharks, and not just for the obvious reason that they need to follow up last week’s win with another success to prove their consistency. They also need to show that the perception that they’d grown an extra attacking dynamic to their game, inspired by last week’s performance, was not a mirage.

With respect to the Sunwolves, who are a new-look team and are also under a new coaching staff as their previous coaches focus on the World Cup, the Blues are the first acid test for the Sharks and their playing style will be subjected to a much bigger test than was the case in Singapore.

Early in the season is probably the wrong time to face the Blues as this is the time of the year when they play with the intent that comes with hopes of a turn of fortunes.

They were unlucky to lose at home to the Crusaders last week and will have drawn some confidence from their performance, while at the same time ratcheting up the desperation for a positive result.

But the Sharks made their most positive start to a season in some time last weekend and will carry onto King's Park both that confidence and a determination to prove Singapore was the real deal when it comes to positive statements.

Cell C Sharks team: Aphelele Fassi, Sbu Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Robert du Preez, Louis Schreuder (captain), Daniel du Preez, Tyler Paul, Jacques Vermeulen, Ruan Botha, Hyron Andrews, Coenie Oosthuizen, Akker van der Merwe, Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: Kerron van Vuuren, Juan Schoeman, Thomas du Toit, Gideon Koegelenberg, Phendulani Buthelezi, Cameron Wright, Jeremy Ward, Curwin Bosch.