Rugby
Pietesen to make Shark return against Griquas─── MORGAN PIEK 18:49 Tue, 09 Jul 2019
The Sharks on Tuesday named their team to play Griquas in the opening round of the 2019 Currie Cup competition at King’s Park in Durban on Friday night.
Newly-appointed Currie Cup coach Sean Everitt hasn’t hesitated in naming several youngsters on the bench, but it is in the starting line-up where we see familiar faces.
Ten players in Friday evening’s starting line-up played in the Super Rugby quarterfinal match against the Brumbies, with a total of 13 from the matchday 23, which allows for continuity.
Two players who cut their teeth at the Sharks, one a Rugby World Cup winner, have been named in the matchday 23.
JP Pietersen’s arrival from France has been a revelation and he will start alongside co-captain Jeremy Ward at outside centre, while Craig Burden plays off the bench as the replacement hooker.
Ward’s co-captain Tera Mtembu is part of a quality pack that will no doubt be tested against the tough Griquas forwards, who will relish the opportunity to have a go at their Durban counterparts.
The Sharks backline also has an exciting but very settled look about it.
The Sharks team: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Jeremy Ward (co-captain), 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Tera Mtembu (co-captain), 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Luke Stringer, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Gideon Koegelenberg, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Rhyno Smith.
- Sharks Rugby