Durban - As the Sharks say goodbye to Springbok captain Siya Kolisi they welcome another Siya in the form of Free State Cheetahs flyhalf Siya Masuku, who is moving to Durban on a two-year deal.
Kolisi is playing his last home game at HollywoodBets Kings Park on Saturday in the United Rugby Championship match against Munster.
If the Sharks qualify for the quarter-finals, they will be away from home. Thereafter, Kolisi will be at the Springboks preparing for the World Cup. He then joins French club Racing 92.
The Sharks have been thin at flyhalf for some time and their backup to Curwin Bosch has been veterans Lionel Cronje and Fred Zeilinga, neither of whom has shot the lights out this season.
The 26-year-old Masuku has been injured in recent weeks, but makes a timeous return to action on Friday when the Sharks visit the Cheetahs.
Masuku is an attacking playmaker and excellent goal-kicker.
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie has brought Masuku back and moved Reinhardt Fortuin to centre next to Robert Ebersohn for the Currie Cup clash. Also, fullback Tapiwa Mafura is promoted to the starting XV and Cohen Jasper takes his spot on the replacements bench.
In the forwards, props Rynier Bernardo and Mzwanele Zito have switched places in the run-on team, as No 8 Jeandre Rudolph returns after a week’s break.
The Cheetahs are joint top of the standings with the Pumas and are on a two-game winning run. They claimed a bonus-point victory against Western Province last week, while the Sharks lost to the Blue Bulls in Durban.
Sharks team: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Munier Hartzenberg, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Sibabalo Qomo, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Arnanos Coetzee, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Schalk Ferreira
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 David Brits, 23 Cohen Jasper
IOL Sport