Curwin Bosch returns at flyhalf for the Sharks’ Currie Cup visit to Western Province on Wednesday night after having been rested for his team’s first-round victory over Griquas.
Bosch has carried a heavy workload for the Sharks since rugby resumed after lockdown and was given a deserved break, but otherwise coach Sean Everitt has been picking his strongest possible team, and this is again the case for the trip to the Cape Town Stadium.
Apart from Bosch taking over from Boeta Chamberlain, who is on the bench this week, the changes to the side are injury-enforced.
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At No8, Phespi Buthelezi is suffering concussion and is replaced by youngster Mpilo Gumede, Buthelezi’s former teammate at Durban High School and also in the unbeaten Sharks Under-19 team of 2018.
The change at No 8 means a new captain and the responsibility once more goes to Jeremy Ward, who partners Marius Louw in the midfield.
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On the left wing, Thaakir Abrahams replaces injured Anthony Volmink.
After having a bye in round two, Wednesday’s match against Province offers the Sharks an opportunity to leapfrog the teams ahead of them on the log to the top of the table.
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In backing the youth in his selections, Everitt commented: “We have to look at the Currie Cup in two ways: we want to win it, make no mistake about it, but at the same time, we do have to grow our squad and this double-round competition does allow us to give opportunities to players because you can always rectify results if one week it doesn’t go your way.”
Sharks: 15 Manie Libbok 14 Werner Kok 13 Jeremy Ward (capt) 12 Marius Louw 11 Thaakier Abrahams 10 Curwin Bosch 9Jaden Hendrikse 8 Mpilo Gumede 7 Thembelani Bholi 6 James Venter 5 Hyron Andrews 4 Ruben van Heerden 3 Khutha Mchunu 2 Fez Mbatha 1 Khwezi Mona
Replacements: Dan Jooste, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Wiehahn Herbst, JJ van der Mescht, Reniel Hugo, Dylan Richardson, Grant Williams, Boeta Chamberlain
IOL Sport