Sharks boss John Plumtree has picked 12 Springboks in his starting team, and a further four on his bench, for the team’s United Rugby Championship match against defending champions, the Glasgow Warriors, in Durban on Saturday (3.45pm).
Eben Etzebeth will captain a side that now includes Springbok stars Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Phepsi Buthelezi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Andre Esterhuizen, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi and Aphelele Fassi in the starting XV.
It will be the first time that the Hendrikse brothers, Jaden and Jordan, team up as the halfback pairing, with Siya Masuku demoted to the bench for this weekend’s match.
Glasgow challenge
The Sharks have won just one match out of three so far this season and go into this match on the back of a 38-10 hiding by Benetton in Italy last weekend.
The three starters in the Sharks side who are not Test internationals are lock Emile van Heerden, flank Emmanuel Tshituka and wing Eduan Keyter.
Several players were, however, not considered for selection due to injury including Rthan Hooker, Francois Venter and Vincent Tshituka, who captained the side in their three European matches.
Glasgow, who are coached by former Bok assistant and Cheetahs boss Franco Smith, won the URC trophy last season when they beat the Bulls in the grand final at Loftus. They are currently second on the log, with three wins from four matches.
Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Eduan Keyter, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse, Phepsi Buthelezi, Emmanuel Tshituka, Siya Kolisi, Emile van Heerden, Eben Etzebeth (capt), Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Bench: Fez Mbatha, Trevor Nyakane, Ruan Dreyer, Jason Jenkins, James Venter, Grant Williams, Siya Masuku, Jurenzo Julius
