AJ in, Adi out for Sharks
Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:19
AJ Venter has passed a fitness test and will wear the No.4 jersey for the Sharks when they take on the Reds in a Super 14 encounter in Durban on Saturday.
Venter will partner skipper Johan Muller in the second row, in what is an extremely powerful pack for the Sharks.
Unfortunately for Dick Muir's team, super sub Adi Jacobs has failed to shake off a hamstring and will not make an impact this weekend.
Springbok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar is back in the starting line-up, while the impressive Rory Kockott moves down to the bench.
In another interesting move, Muir has retained the versatile Francois Steyn at flyhalf, which means that there is no place in the starting XV for Frederic Michalak. He will join Kockott on the bench.
The Sharks new Tongan import, Epi Taione, is set to make his Super 14 debut off the bench. He can cover the wing, centre and flank berths if the need arises.
Sharks: 15 Stefan
Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Bradley Barritt, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Francois Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Jacques Botes, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Johann Muller (Captain), 4 AJ Venter, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 BJ Botha, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Steven Sykes, 20 Epi Taione, 21 Rory Kockott, 22 Frederic Michalak
Date: Saturday, March 29
Venue: Absa Stadium, Durban
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman (South Africa)
