In the second of the Qualifying Round matches, the Cell C Sharks hosts the Highlanders from Otago. The Sharks won the SA Conference and thereby ensured they booked a home qualifier by ending 3rd on the Combined Log. The Highlanders took the last of the wild card positions by ending their season 6th.
The long-awaited return of Springbok Patrick Lambie highlights the Sharks team for their Super Rugby play-off encounter with the Highlanders in Durban on Saturday.
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach also makes a welcome return ahead of this preliminary qualifier.
However, it is the return of Lambie’s – albeit on the replacement bench – that will hog the headlines.
Lambie returns in place of Fred Zeilinga.
The coastal franchise has been without their star flyhalf since late March, when he suffered a torn bicep against the Bulls.
At the time, he was expected to be out for six months, but has made a quicker than expected recovery and will feature off the bench in Durban.
Reinach is back in the starting line-up, after being named in the matchday squad last week – but having to pull out at a late stage with a minor complaint and didn’t feature in the impress 34-10 win over the Stormers.
JP Pietersen has been declared fit, after being knocked out cold in a clash with Duane Vermeulen last week.
The return of Reinach at No 9 is the only change to the starting 15.
Director of Rugby Jake White is under no illusions that despite his team’s good performance last and strong squad, they are up against formidable opposition who defeated his team earlier in the season.
“When they are on song, they can perform,” White said of the Highlanders.
“They beat some big teams this year and this is a team that can score tries, they have the players,” he added.
Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 Sibusiso Sithole, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Paul Jordaan, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frans Steyn, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis (Captain), 1 Thomas du Toit
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Jean Deysel, 21 Charl McLeod, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Tonderai Chavhanga.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has wasted no time in recalling one of his main strike forces to the team to take on the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
The preliminary qualifier will be the Highlanders’ second visit to the Shark Tank for 2014 and the team will be hoping to produce another stellar performance like the Round 11 match-up that saw the Highlanders win 34-18.
Co-Captain Ben Smith returns to the starting line-up, after illness saw him miss the final regular season clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch last weekend.
There are two changes to the forward pack – Ged Robinson to start at No.2 and Jarrad Hoeata at No 4 – which sees Tom Franklin move to the bench.
Hoeata travelled from Dunedin at the weekend to join the team in Auckland, before they flew out to Sydney and then on to South Africa.
In the backline Lima Sopoaga has been recalled to the playmaker position of flyhalf and will be partnering with Phil Burleigh at inside centre.
Trent Renata moves back to the bench as utility cover.
The Highlanders have had a tough road to the play-offs after playing the top two teams in the competition in consecutive weeks on the road, but are feeling good and looking forward to their first play-off game since 2002.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (Co-captain), 14 Richard Buckman, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu (Co-captain), 7 Shane Christie, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Chris King, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Kane Hames
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Matias Diaz, 18 JP Koen, 19 Josh Bekhuis, 20 Tom Franklin, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Trent Renata, 23 Gareth Evans.
Date: Saturday 19 July
Venue: Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban
Kick-Off: 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, 03:05 Sunday NZ Time, 01:05 Sunday AEST)
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Go Sharks
Probably makes sense that Jake has gone for the same side, and bringing Lambie on from the bench.
I think Lambie would start in the semi though.
Good to see that JP recovered from his knock against Vermeulen and it wasn’t as serious as it looked at first, also good news for them to get Reinach back.
So basically it’s only Beast that is not fit, and of course PSdT, but he has been out almost all year, so can’t really count for this game.
Sharks were very fortunate with injuries this year, maybe the Stormers should recruit their fitness trainer?
@ nortierd:
Jp got two ponados and sat out monday tuesday and Wednesday
MacroBull wrote:
I am not sure whether the Sharks will be the same force under a neutral ref (SteveW) as they have been under Peyper who seem to have reffed nearly all their games in SA.
Luckily for them Peyper is running the sidelines and will therefore be able to monitor proceedings with an eagle eye to ensure that Stevo dont miss even the tiniest transgression of the rules that the Highlanders might dare to make.
@ robzim:
Peyper also happened to be the ref when the Highlanders beat them earlier in Durban.
I think they can be very grateful that Walsh is the ref, one thing we do know about him, is that he always heavily favors the home side. It doesn’t matter where in the World he refs, whether tests or SR, the home side get the favored calls, especially the big match moments.
If the game was in Otago, the Highlanders would have been the lucky side
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