Gaffie du Toit and Dave von Hoesslin will be the Sharks' starting half-backs on Saturday against Western Province in one of the most bizarre selection decisions of the rugby season.
Flyhalf Du Toit and scrumhalf Von Hoesslin have been virtual outcasts ever since they were publicly blamed for the Springboks' 28-0 defeat by New Zealand in 1999. Since then their decline continued in provincial rugby, where it was gradual but certain.
Natal Sharks coach Rudolf Straeuli favoured Butch James ahead of Du Toit, and even Herkie Kruger, who last week was being talked about as a possible Bok candidate. Von Hoesslin was also relegated to the reserves bench while Craig Davidson remained the No 1 choice.
But suddenly Natal's prodigal sons are back in favour - and for a game that will be crucial to Natal's Currie Cup ambitions. The Sharks need to beat WP on Saturday at King's Park to be assured of a home semifinal next week.
The two recalled halfbacks have been used sparingly by Straeuli this season and only as substitutes. This will be their first start together for the Sharks in the Currie Cup this year, which makes their selection for such a vital game all the more puzzling.
"I believe Gaffie can give us an unexpected edge, just as he did when he played so well against the Cats in the Super 12 match in Bloemfontein," Straeuli said.
He justified his eight changes from last week to "squad rotation".
"It is not a team that is going to win you the Currie Cup but a squad," the coach said. "This week we are looking for something new. Our games have been studied to death by the opposition, so I want an element of the unknown."
Straeuli said his team was not weakened by the changes. Indeed, critics agreed that he could just have come up with a winning combination against the defensive-minded WP.
Apart from axing Kruger and Davidson, the coach has also dropped flanker Charl van Rensburg, one of his outstanding players of the season.
The rest of the changes are:
On the wing and at centre, where Stefan Terblanche returns on the right wing and Deon Kayser is moved to the midfield in place of Andre Snyman.
At lock, where Mark Andrews is back with Albert van den Berg at the expense of AJ Venter and Phillip Smit.
At flank where the speedy Warren Britz has recovered from injury and replaces Van Rensburg.
Venter was retreaded from flank to lock by Straeuli, but returns to his former position to give the Sharks more bulk and power on the fringes of the scrums.