DURBAN - Sharks coach Sean Everitt has had the rare pleasure of being able to name an unchanged match-day squad of 23 for Saturday’s Currie Cup final against the Bulls, with the only change to the starting line-up being the promotion of Jaden Hendrikse at scrumhalf and Sanele Nohamba playing off the bench.
Each week of the Currie Cup, Everitt has had players coming and going from the squad because of Covid protocols but at last — and at the most crucial time of the season — he has the luxury of consistency in personnel.
ALSO READ: Sharks Covid-19 free in big boost for the Currie Cup final
Everitt thus has been able to retain the squad that beat Western Province in the semi-final last week, and has chosen to make just that one switch to the starting line-up
No 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe is one of the players that missed games because of Covid and he is thrilled to be healthy and ready to play in the final.
“We’re thrilled to have secured a place in the final, but we
accept that we have a massive assignment at Loftus on Saturday afternoon,” he said. “But it’s an assignment we’re really excited about, especially as not a lot of players in our squad have been in finals, so this is a very special occasion.”
The most recent clash between the two sides was in Durban when the
ALSO READ: Curwin Bosch is on fire, says Sharks team mate Sbu Nkosi
Sharks came away triumphant, but there were two losses in Pretoria last year which could potentially bear some scars for some sides.
“What happened in the past is in the past, although it is possible to learn from those games. What we took out of those games was that mistakes get punished. We made a lot of mistakes at Loftus we got punished for that.
“We have learned the hard way.”
Sharks
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JJ van Mescht, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Manie Libbok.
IOL Sport