Super rugby’s current leading side the Sharks have named an unchanged team to play the Stormers at home in Durban at Kings park on Saturday.
Sharks Super rugby head coach Robert du Preez has again been able to name an unchanged side.
Last week he stuck to the same starting XV with changes amongst the replacements, but this week the match 23 has not been altered at all.
It’s just reward for the outstanding effort each player put in, and as that old saying goes, ‘Don’t fix what ain’t broke.’
There was some concern after Sbu Nkosi was stretchered from the field in last week’s win over the Blues, but it was more precautionary and the deadlocked speedster has suffered no ill effects as he takes his position on the wing.
After two wins, the signs are there that the team is on the right track: has the squad, the individual talent, the game plan and above all, the desire. The Stormers will pose a different challenge to what’s gone before, but no doubt, as derby matches go, this game will be intense.
“We couldn’t ask for much better that the two big wins, it’s a confidence booster for us going into this week’s match against the Stormers,” explains Sharks centre Lukhanyo Am of the season so far.
“Like us, the Stormers have a big pack and a good back-line, we know we need to pitch up as far as physicality goes.”
The Stormers, with a won-one-lost-one record, will be hoping to build on a courageous performance against the Lions last week, managing to pip the Joburg side at the death.
They’re a quality side, always competitive, and with the Sharks’ desire to maintain the form that has seen us gaining maximum points from our opening two fixtures, this makes for a worthy tussle between the old foes.
Sharks
15. Aphelele Fassi 14. Sbu Nkosi 13. Lukhanyo Am 12. Andre Esterhuizen 11. Makazole Mapimpi 10. Robert du Preez 9. Louis Schreuder (c) 8. Daniel du Preez 7. Tyler Paul 6. Jacques Vermeulen 5. Ruan Botha 4. Hyron Andrews 3. Coenie Oosthuizen 2. Akker van der Merwe 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements 16. Kerron van Vuuren 17. Juan Schoeman 18. Thomas du Toit 19. Gideon Koegelenberg 20. Phepsi Buthelezi 21. Cameron Wright 22. Jeremy Ward 23. Curwin Bos
