Johannesburg - Varsity Cup star Nevaldo Fleurs has gone straight into the Sharks’ Currie Cup team to play the Pumas on Friday in Durban and will wear the No 15 jersey, just over a week since he was in the Maties side that lost to Tuks in the final of that competition.
The 22-year-old Fleurs has just signed for the Sharks on a two-year deal. Otherwise, the Sharks team is packed with players with United Rugby Championship experience.
The big issue for this Sharks team is lack of game time — they last played a Currie Cup game a month ago. The Currie Cup schedule has lengthy gaps at the best of times and then the Sharks had their game against the Bulls a fortnight ago cancelled because of the floods.
It is a very strong forward pack while in a rejigged backline, Boeta Chamberlain starts ahead of Argentinian Tito Bonilla, who moves to the bench.
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Marnus Potgieter shifts from outside centre to No 14 and Anthony Volmink is on the left wing, with Jeremy Ward partnering Ethan Fisher in the midfield.
Meanwhile, Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has named a settled combination which is virtually the same squad that smashed the Lions in early April.
With the two log points granted to both the Bulls and the Sharks after the cancelled match, the Sharks are currently third on the standings with 24 points, nine clear of the Pumas, who the Durbanites beat 24-10 in the first-round match at Mbombela Stadium in March.
Teams:
Sharks – 15 Nevaldo Fleurs, 14 Marnus Potgieter, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Ethan Fisher, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Jeandre Labuschange, 6 James Venter (c), 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Wiehahn Herbst , 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Dian Bleuler.
Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Emile van Heerden, 20 Dylan Richardson, 21 Thembelani Bholi, 22 Zee Mkhabela, 23 Tito Bonilla.
Pumas – 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Alwayno Visagie, 12 Eddie Fouche, 11 Tapiwa Mafura, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Willie Engelbrecht (c), 7 Anele Lungisa, 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Shane Kirkwood, 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Corne Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Simon Raw/Etienne Janeke, 19 Darrien Landsberg, 20 Phumzile Maqondwana, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Ali Mgijima, 23 Japie Kleinhans.
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