Plumtree sticks with Sharks Currie Cup team

Sharks coach John Plumtree has stuck largely to the Currie Cup team that beat the Bulls last week for the match against the Pumas on Friday.

Plumtree has kept the same starting 15 but Willem Alberts comes on to the bench at the expense of Shkoliwe Ndlovu which is the only change in the match day 22. .

Stefan Terblanche retains the captaincy for the match which will be his 100th Currie Cup match, 25 of those in the colours of Boland.

“We want to build on what we’ve achieved,” said Sharks coach John Plumtree on the Sharks site.

“Against this Pumas side, we will get opportunities to play but it’s how we hold on to the ball, create opportunities and then finish them off.

“We know they’re good enough to score against us, but I want the boys to defend well and that’s mostly about attitude. If we concede a lot of tries, we won’t have succeeded in what we set out to do.

“I’m pleased that a lot of stuff we worked on in preseason came together against the Blue Bulls, but the challenge for us is to grow our game and the challenge for the players is to get up this week after beating the Bulls.”

He points out that the Pumas players are big and physical and a team capable of scoring tries. “They have got some speed, their backs run nicely onto the ball, their pack looks well-organised and they look well-drilled.

“I want us to play some great rugby on Friday night and the team selection is really a case of rewarding the group for what they did last weekend.”

The Sharks are second on the log having picked up 7 points from their two matches so far. The match is not being televised.

The Sharks

15. Louis Ludik , 14. JP Pietersen , 13. Stefan Terblanche (Capt) , 12. Patrick Lambie , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 10. Steve Meyer , 9. Charl McLeod , 8. Keegan Daniel , 7. Michael Rhodes , 6. Jacques Botes , 5. Alistair Hargreaves , 4. Steven Sykes , 3. Wiehahn Herbst , 2. Craig Burden , 1. Patric Cilliers

Replacements , 16. Kyle Cooper , 17. Eugene van Staden , 18. Ross Skeate , 19. Willem Alberts , 20. Rory Kockott , 21. Monty Dumond , 22. Andries Strauss