Rugby
Sharks make a handful of changes for Munster─── MORGAN PIEK 08:08 Fri, 25 Oct 2024
The Sharks have made a handful of changes to their starting XV for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship game against Munster in Durban as they go hunting for back-to-back wins in the competition.
The most notable is with the loose trio – Siya Kolisi moving to 8th-man, while James Venter and Vincent Tshituka start at flank. Grant Williams has replaced Jaden Hendrikse at scrumhalf, with the latter moving to the bench.
The bench sees the return of the former Toyota Cheetahs captain and Springbok centre, Francois Venter.
The Sharks coach, John Plumtree, is excited about the starting loose-trio for the game, while he added that Kolisi is no stranger to playing at the back of the scrum.
Grant Williams. Photo: Morgan Piek
“I quite like that combination – all three are very physical loose forwards,” said Plumtree.
“I think Siya at 8 could free up more of his running game, and he is really good on the ball in terms of his poaching. Often 8’s can get more opportunities to poach than the six because they can be a second arrival at the tackle area.
‘There is some nice competition in that loose forward trio’
“It’s a combination that I am really interested in. I was really happy with the way Emmanuel Tshituka and Phepsi Buthelezi played last week. They both had a big step-up in their game, so there is some nice competition in that loose forward trio, which is really what I want.”
“I think Siya is really looking forward to playing eight because it’s a position he played a lot in his earlier days for the Stormers and it’s a position I’m keen to see how he goes in.”
“I don’t see it as a gamble, I see it more as an opportunity for him to run with the ball and we know he loves that. I reckon it will be good to see how he goes in that position.”
While there have been changes made to the team it still remains a match 23 laden with Springboks with 11 starting, while there are six on the bench.
Saturday’s game between the Sharks and Munster at Kings’ Park kicks off at 16:00.
Sharks - 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain), 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements - 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Francois Venter
Munster - TBA
