By Gavin Rich.
Springbok skipper Siya Kolisi is back in the starting team but prop Thomas du Toit will continue to lead the Cell C Sharks in their crucial Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with the Emirates Lions at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday afternoon.
It’s derby weekend and Sharks coach Sean Everitt has predictably returned some of his first choice players to the starting lineup while at the same time sticking to the continuity mantra that he has observed for most of the 2022 portion of the URC season.
The team released by the Sharks on Thursday morning shows Du Toit as captain and Kolisi as vice-captain. Kolisi took over the leadership reins when regular Sharks captain Lukhanyo Am left on a two month sabbatical in Japan but Du Toit was in charge when Kolisi was rested – he played off the bench – for last week’s impressive win against the Dragons.
Everitt was set to explain his selections in a press conference later on Thursday but it could be that Kolisi feels he’d prefer to play without the captaincy responsibility at URC level as his role as national captain does bring big pressure and extra responsibilities.
Kolisi comes back into the team for James Venter, who led the Sharks Currie Cup team to an important win over Windhoek Lager Griquas in Kimberley on Wednesday night. In further changes to the pack, Reniel Hugo returns to the second row in place of Le Roux Roets, while Henco Venter is back at blindside flank in place of Jeandre Labuschagne, who moves to the bench.
There are no changes to a backline that looked in much better synch and more potent on attack in last week’s game than it had previously. However, it is debatable how much we will see of the Sharks backs against the Lions as once again it looks likely they will be playing in inclement weather, with a 100 percent rainfall predicted by many weather forecasters for Durban on Saturday afternoon.
That will mean the emphasis will be on the Sharks forwards getting it right, although the halfbacks will have to do better than in the recent wet weather game against Edinburgh, which was the only setback for a South African team against an overseas team in the four week block of cross-hemisphere games on South African soil.
The SA v overseas games start again after the Easter weekend, with this being the last league phase derby weekend in the competition for local sides, and with his eye on the SA Shield, Everitt is determined to see his team get the necessary log points against the Lions.
“Last week’s win over the Dragons was a really good platform for us to build on and now it’s about building momentum, “said Everitt.
“The log is really important at the moment and a win this week will be big for us because the other two local franchises are also playing each other and we’re fighting for the SA Shield.”
Saturday’s game in Durban kicks off at 16.00 and will be preceded by the DHL Stormers/Vodacom Bulls clash in Cape Town.
Cell C Sharks team: Anthony Volmink, Werner Kok, Ben Tapuai, Marius Louw, Makazole Mapimpi, Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse, Phepsi Buthelezi, Henco Venter, Siya Kolisi, Reniel Hugo, Gerbrandt Grobler, Thomas du Toit (captain), Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche.
Replacements: Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Khutha Mchunu, Le Roux Roets, Jeandre Labuschagne, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Grant Williams, Boeta Chamberlain.