The Cell C Sharks have been bolstered for their Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg by the return of a clutch of players who have been out injured in recent weeks.
Former Lions loose-forward Vincent Tshituka returns to the match day squad as one of the reserves for the trip to his old home ground of Emirates Airlines Park, while Dylan Richardson is also back from a fairly lengthy absence and will join Tshituka on a bench that features a six/two split between forwards and backs.
Three of those forwards are players who feature mostly in the back row, although Tshituka has featured in one Sharks game as a lock and presumably that is the position he will be covering in Johannesburg.
Former Blitzbok Sevens star Werner Kok and Grant Williams are further players returning from injury, although in both of their cases they go straight into the starting line-up.
Kok is back on the right wing while Williams replaces Cameron Wright at scrumhalf. Wright drops to the bench. Marnus Potgieter is the player who makes way for Kok in the No 14 jersey.
In another change at the back, Francois Venter comes in for Ben Tapuai in the midfield. The Wallaby moves to the bench, where he will be responsible for covering most of the outside back positions. Williams can of course play wing should that become necessary.
??TEAM RELEASE??
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) February 16, 2023
Your starting XV sees Vincent Tshituka and Dylan Richardson back from injury and on the bench. While Grant Williams returns to action ??
??: https://t.co/nbVTXjrN4a #FearTheFin Vodacom #URC #LIOvSHA pic.twitter.com/0qujOYLTch
There are two changes to the Sharks front five that was unceremoniously bullied by the Stormers in Durban last time out, with former Western Province player Dan Jooste coming in for Kerron van Vuuren at hooker, while Reniel Hugo brings beef to the starting pack as he displaces Hyron Andrews.
Fez Mbatha is back as the Sharks’ back-up hooker.
The Sharks squad looks to have more depth to it than the match day squad that was beaten by the Stormers, which is a good thing as the Sharks need to win on Saturday and then one of their next two games against Ulster at home and Stormers away if they want to comfortably challenge for the top eight (actually top seven) spot they need in order to qualify for next year's Heineken Champions Cup.
The Sharks currently lie eighth but they do have a game in hand on the teams around them in that part of the log.
Seventh should be what they aim at as the four Shield winners automatically qualify for Europe and at this point it again looks like the Welsh winners might finish outside the top eight that secures qualification for the URC knockouts.
Can't wait for Saturday's derby ????#FearTheFin Vodacom #URC #LIOvSHA pic.twitter.com/4j8sDv08Jd
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) February 16, 2023
CELL C SHARKS TEAM: Aphelele Fassi, Werner Kok, Francois Venter, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Thaakir Abrahams, Curwin Bosch, Grant Williams, Phepsi Buthelezi (captain), Henco Venter, James Venter, Gerbrandt Grobler, Reniel Hugo, Carlu Sadie, Dan Jooste, Ntuthuko Mchunu.
REPLACEMENTS: Fez Mbatha, Dian Bleuler, Hanro Jacobs, Vincent Tshituka, Dylan Richardson, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Cameron Wright, Ben Tapuai.