Durban — It will be a case of “normal service restored” for the Sharks when they take on the Pumas in Saturday’s Currie Cup semi-final after coach Joey Mongalo brought back en masse the players he rested for last week’s disaster in Cape Town.
The Sharks had won seven games in a row to go top of the table and the gamble was that they could still finish top even if they lost to Western Province because the Bulls were expected to beat the Cheetahs in Pretoria.
That did not happen and the Sharks finished second to the Cheetahs on the table and they might now have to play a final away from home should they get past the Pumas and the Cheetahs do a double on the Bulls by winning in Bloemfontein.
But the here-and-now is that the Sharks team to play the reigning champions at HollywoodBets Kings Park is nice and fresh and hungry to pick up where they left off.
Reniel Hugo’s team have been together all season and they rested as a team last week while a mostly United Rugby Championship (URC) team were walloped by Western Province, so they will bear no scars.
Sharks starting XV: 15 Nevaldo Fleurs, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Murray Koster, 12 Alwayno Visagie, 11 Aphelele Fassi, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Bradley Davids; 8 Henco Venter, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Reniel Hugo (capt), 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Ockie Barnard, 20 Marco de Witt, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Tiaan Fourie, 23 Curwin Bosch.
IOL Sport