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Siya returns via bench as Sharks keep faith with Loftus winners

football27 February 2025 12:31| © SuperSport
By:Gavin Rich
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Siya Kolisi © Gallo Images

Hollywoodbets Sharks coach John Plumtree has kept faith with the team that beat the Vodacom Bulls last time out by keeping changes to his starting combination to a minimum for Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with the Emirates Lions.

While most of the rest of the teams will be heading into the 12th round at the weekend, for the Sharks and the Lions it is their 11th game of their respective campaigns as they head into two matches against each other home and away over the next two Saturdays.

The Sharks will be in Johannesburg on Saturday and will be at home to the Lions the following week.

The Sharks had a seriously under-strength team play for them when they beat the Bulls and it was thought that Plumtree might reinforce his side with a few of the key Springboks who have been out resting over the past month.

However, the fact the Sharks won in Pretoria is a measure of how much growth there has been at the Durban franchise and Plumtree certainly appears far more willing to back his reserve strength now than he was this time last year.

There are Boks back, but Plumtree has elected to reintroduce the Bok captain and regular Sharks leader Siya Kolisi off the bench, and the same for Vincent Koch.

Vincent Tshituka will captain a Sharks team that features just three changes from the one that started in Pretoria two weeks ago, with one change being forced by the injury to Trevor Nyakane.

Ruan Dreyer, who like Nyakane is a capped Bok, comes into the side at tighthead prop.

An unforced change comes at scrumhalf, where Jaden Hendrikse returns from his resting period to replace fellow Bok frontliner Grant Williams in the No 9 jersey.

A big selection for the Sharks as they continue to grow their depth is the selection of Westville old boy Deon Slabbert as the lock partner to Jason Jenkins. He replaces Corne Rahl.

This being another weekend of the URC’s State of Origin innovation, where the schools the players attended are listed on the team sheets, it is interesting to note how many of the Sharks players are now home grown, something that hasn’t always been the case.

In the starting team there are two Glenwood Boys High alumni in the form of the two Hendrikse brothers, Jaden and Jordan, two Westville old boys in Slabbert and Ethan Hooker, with two match-day squad members from Maritzburg College in the form of starting loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu and reserve lock Jeandre ‘Lappies’ Labuschagne.

Other players schooled in the KZN region are flyhalf Siya Masuku, who came out of the Northern Natal town of Piet Retief, and No 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, who has been part of the latter day DHS renaissance.

The highly promising young hooker Ethan Bester is a product of Hilton.

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS TEAM: Jordan Hendrikse (Glenwood), Yaw Penxe (Queens College), Jurenzo Julius (Paul Roos), Lukhanyo Am (De Vos Malan), Ethan Hooker (Westville), Siya Masuku (Piet Retief), Jaden Hendrikse (Glenwood), Phepsi Buthelezi (DHS), Vincent Tshikuka (captain - Northcliff), Tinotenda Masvere (Churchill), Jason Jenkins (St Albans), Deon Slabbert (Westville), Ruan Dreyer (Monument), Bongi Mbonambi (St Albans), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Maritzburg College),

Replacements: Ethan Bester (Hilton College), Dian Bleuler (Oakdale), Vincent Koch (Hugenote High School), Lappies Labuschagne (Maritzburg College), Siya Kolisi (Grey High), Grant Williams (Paarl Gimnasium), Francois Venter (Grey College), Eduan Keyter (Affies).

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