Lambie and Odwa starting for The Sharks
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The Sharks go into Saturday’s final pool game of the 2011 Absa Currie Cup against the Lions at Mr Price KINGS PARK with focus and a clear goal as they look to secure home ground advantage for next week’s semi-final round.
The team, bolstered by six returning Springboks and the recovery of Craig Burden and Ryan Kankowski from injury, have destiny firmly in their own hands leading into the knock-out rounds. Any log points scored by the Cheetahs – who currently trail The Sharks by one log point – need to be at least matched to be certain of finishing second and the boost to the manpower available to coach John Plumtree couldn’t have come at a better time.
Of The Sharks Springboks to have returned prematurely from the Rugby World Cup, Odwa Ndungane and Patrick Lambie will start while Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis, Willem Alberts and JP Pietersen add formidable firepower off the bench. These players in particular will be on a quest to secure some silverware before the year is out.
The Lions have top spot all wrapped up regardless of the result of this match and their coach John Mitchell, who had the choice of retaining the same side for continuity, or resting players for this game, has gone with the latter.
“You get a choice when you’re in their position – they’ve earned that right finishing on top – and I guess there is a temptation to rest key individuals because you obviously don’t want to risk injuries ahead of a big semi-final at home a week later,” explains Sharks coach John Plumtree.
“We’ve been in that situation before and rested players who has been overplayed or carrying an injury. It’s a very comfortable place to be. But for us, it’s about focusing on our own game. We have a difficult enough week without worrying about what they’re going to do.”
With the Boks back and so much riding on the result, a hugely-competitive game is to be expected and the team will know their job is made just that little bit easier when they run out in front of a big crowd on Saturday.
The match kicks off at 7.10pm with the Under 19s in action at 3pm followed by the Under 21s at 4.40pm.
The Sharks
15. Patrick Lambie
14. Odwa Ndungane
13. Stefan Terblanche
12. Marius Joubert
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Frederic Michalak
9. Conrad Hoffmann
8. Ryan Kankowski
7. Marcell Coetzee
6. Keegan Daniel (Captain)
5. Ross Skeate
4. Jean Deysel
3. Wiehahn Herbst
2. Craig Burden
1. Eugene van Staden
Replacements
16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Jannie du Plessis
18. Willem Alberts
19. Jacques Botes
20. Ross Cronje
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. JP Pietersen
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