Hollywoodbets Sharks wing Yaw Penxe has been shifted to fullback for Sunday’s final Investec Champions Cup Pool 1 clash with Bordeaux Begles at Stade Chaban-Delmas in France.
Young Hakeem Kunene played in the last line of defence in the absence of the injured Springbok fullback Aphelele Fassi when the Sharks hosted Bordeaux last week, with Penxe on the wing.
Kunene is still in the match day squad but has been moved to the bench, while Ethan Hooker has switched from the midfield to the left wing.
Jurenzo Julius scored a great try towards the end of the Toulouse game, which the Sharks lost 20-8, and has been rewarded with a start in the No 13 jersey.
Springbok speedster Makazole Mapimpi is one of the players who missed the Sharks trip to France because of injury.
With Jordan Hendrikse also back in South Africa, there is a change at flyhalf, with Siya Masuku getting reacquainted with the jersey he wore when the Sharks won the EPCR Challenge Cup and the Carling Currie Cup last year.
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It is interesting to note that Hendrikse’s brother, Jaden, is listed as one of three backline reserves, and with back-up scrumhalf Bradley Davids part of that trio, it looks like he will be covering flyhalf.
It has long been felt by some learned followers of rugby that Hendrikse would make a good outside half and had Masuku not come through in the second half of last season, he may well have ended up starting there 12 months ago.
This is a chance for Plumtree to see how he goes at pivot should he ever be required there.
Another Bok, Grant Williams, is back as the starting scrumhalf in a team that will again be led by Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.
Talking of Boks, Ox Nche will play Sunday’s game off the bench, with Nthuthuko Mchunu getting what for him has become a rare starting opportunity in the No 1 jersey.
“Ox has shouldered a big responsibility, he’s played a lot of rugby and we obviously have a fairly big injury toll,” said coach John Plumtree in explaining the selection.
HAVE THEIR WORK CUT OUT
Another interesting feature of the bench is that with Ethan Bester marked down as the replacement hooker, it appears that Dylan Richardson is going to be utilised as a loose-forward when he comes onto the field.
It is a move that makes sense given Bordeaux’s strengths and Richardson’s ability to play towards the ball when he takes up position on the openside flank.
In another change in the front row, Trevor Nyakane comes in to start at tighthead for his injured Bok teammate Vincent Koch.
The Sharks will know later on Friday whether they will need to get anything out of Sunday’s clash in order to qualify for the round of 16.
They go into the final weekend of group play fourth in Pool 1, meaning they would qualify if they maintain that position.
They lead the last two teams, Ulster and Exeter Chiefs, by five log points, meaning that the winner of the clash between those two sides in Belfast on Friday night will have to secure a bonus point in order to be a nuisance to the Sharks’ ambitions to advance to the next round.
The winner will also have to win by a wide margin as the Sharks currently have a superior points differential to both teams.
As Sharks loose-forward Phepsi Buthelezi put it earlier in the week, the Sharks will have their work cut out for them playing away against the form team in the competition, and Plumtree agrees.
However, he feels that playing a top French team two weeks in a row might benefit his team’s chances of doing well.
“Bordeaux play a similar style of rugby to Toulouse in some ways, so last week’s game certainly helped prepare us for this game,” said the Sharks coach.
The Sharks are playing this game as the first fixture of a two game tour that concludes with a Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against Cardiff next Saturday.
Hollywoodbets Sharks team: Yaw Penxe, Eduan Keyter, Jurenzo Julius, Francois Venter, Ethan Hooker, Siya Masuku, Grant Williams, Siya Kolisi (captain), Emmanuel Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi, Jason Jenkins, Corne Rahl, Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: Ethan Bester, Ox Nche, Handro Jacobs, Jeandre Labuschagne, Dylan Richardson, Bradley Davids, Jaden Hendrikse, Hakeem Kunene.