Sharks make four changes for Cheetahs match

Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold has named a team with four changes to the one that lost to the Stormers for this week’s Super Rugby match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

Gold has retained the Sharks backline and made all four of the changes to the forward pack.

Springbok Jannie du Plessis returns to the starting line up to partner his brother Bismarck after having last week off for the birth of his child.

Former England international Mouritz Botha also returns from an eye socket injury in the opening round and he will pack down alongside Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit in the second row.

The final change comes in at loose-forward where Renaldo Bothma comes in for Willem Alberts who is out of the match 23 due to injury.

“The Cheetahs were formidable opponents in our first round encounter and are a real threat with ball in hand,” said Gold..

“We will have our work cut out for us this Saturday in a pressurised situation.”

Sharks

15. SP Marais , 14. Odwa Ndungane , 13. JP Pietersen , 12. Francois Steyn , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 10. Patrick Lambie , 9. Cobus Reinach , 8. Ryan Kankowski , 7. Renaldo Bothma , 6. Marcell Coetzee , 5. Pieter-Steph du Toit , 4. Mouritz Botha , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 2. Bismarck du Plessis (C) , 1. Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements , 16. Kyle Cooper , 17. Dale Chadwick / Thomas du Toit , 18. Lourens Adriaanse , 19. Marco Wentzel / Lubabalo Mtyanda , 20. Tera Mtembu , 21. Conrad Hoffmann , 22. Andre Esterhuizen , 23. Jack Wilson