DURBAN - Consistency is king for Sharks coach Sean Everitt who for the third week in a row has named an almost identical team, this time to play the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday as the Rainbow Cup SA reaches the halfway stage.
The coach has made one rotational change to the match 23 that beat the Lions last week, with Jaden Hendrike starting at scrumhalf and Sanele Nohamba promoted to the bench. Grant Williams drops out of the squad after having started two matches in a row.
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The Sharks are blessed with quality depth at scrumhalf, and this is the one area where Everitt is prepared to rotate. Otherwise, it is about building momentum through what is a very short competition. Everitt has said that he did his experimenting and rotating in the recent Preparation Series and that the Rainbow Cup would be about playing his best team each week.
“There is no room for error in a competition which is just six weeks long — if you drop points it is very hard to make them up,” Everitt said. “The Prep Series was excellent for us in blooding players and establishing our depth.”
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With two bonus-point victories so far – against the Stormers in round one and the Lions in round two – the Sharks just edge the Bulls — the other unbeaten team — at the top of the standings
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Jeremy Ward, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Werner Kok.
IOL Sport