Phepsi starts but Aphelele remains on bench

Junior Springbok captain Phepsi Buthelezi is set to wear the Cell C Sharks’ No 7 jersey as the only change to the team for Saturday’s away Currie Cup clash with the Phasika Pumas in Nelspruit.

Jacques Vermeulen was at blindside flank in the recent win over Western Province in Durban but drops to the bench for the trip to Mbombela Stadium. It is a selection that makes sense if you consider that Vermeulen is set to continue his career overseas at the end of the season - he is heading to Exeter Chiefs - whereas Buthelezi is a big part of the Sharks’ future.

With the Sharks speaking so much about growth, it is a logical move. However, there can only be one reason why Rhyno Smith, who wears the No 15 jersey, can be preferred again to Aphelele Fassi and that is because he fits into a tactical game pivoted around the need to get the log points that come with the win. Smith was good in bringing and extra dimension to the Sharks' tactical game in the recent win over WP, but he is heading to the Cheetahs after the Currie Cup.

So it is understandable if Sharks coach Sean Everitt might think he’s caught in the midst of a paradox at the moment - on one hand growth is an imperative, but on the other so is winning, and the early loss to Griquas might have thrown a bit of a curve ball into the development plans. Not that you’d imagine the talented Fassi would let the Sharks down in that quest to retain the golden trophy were he to start in the last line of defence. He was good in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup is some steps below that. If the Currie Cup is really about building for the future then ideally Fassi should be playing and building up his experience as a member of the starting team.

The Sharks were off on their bye last week but Everitt has assured his team’s supporters that there was little rest for his charges, who he says are excited about where the side can go following their good recovery against WP from their opening defeat to Griquas.

“The team is in a super-excited mood and keen to get the campaign back on track after the break and following the good finish against Western Province two weeks ago,” said Everitt.

“It’s important that we keep the momentum going into the next round. We’re expecting the Pumas to be tough opponents and know we will have to be at our best if we want to pick up the points.”

Cell C Sharks team: Rhyno Smith, Kobus van Wyk, JP Pietersen, Jeremy Ward (co-captain), Lwazi Mvovo, Curwin Bosch, Cameron Wright, Tera Mtembu (co-captain), Phepsi Buthelezi, Luke Stringer, Hyron Andrews, Ruben van Heerden, Coenie Oosthuizen, Kerron van Vuuren, Juan Schoeman. Replacements: Craig Burden, Mzamo Majola, John-Hubert Meyer, Gideon Koegelenberg, Jacques Vermeulen, Sanele Nohamba, Marius Louw, Aphelele Fassi.