Sharks may just have mental edge over WP

SOMETHING has to give in Durban when the Sharks meet Western Province in the pick of round six Currie Cup action as the two pacesetters attempt to gain an advantage in this year’s truncated tournament.

The Sharks won the first-round fixture at Newlands, just two weeks after the Super Rugby side beat the Stormers at the same venue in a semifinal. Those memories should give the Sharks a mental edge for this encounter.

The Sharks suffered a shock loss to Griquas in Kimberley last week and as a consequence coach John Plumtree has shuffled his personnel.

Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, who was superb against WP earlier in the season, starts in place of Springbok Charl McLeod, in a move that has raised some eyebrows.

Keegan Daniel, discarded by the Springboks, has been reinstated as Sharks skipper for the rest of the campaign, which is a clear sign that national coach Heyneke Meyer will not recall him for the home leg of the Four Nations.

WP have lost tighthead Frans Malherbe to the Boks and flank Rynhardt Elstadt to injury, with Tom Botha and Tyrone Holmes replacing them respectively.

WP have been excellent in the past two weeks, but the Sharks have been formidable at home and it is difficult to imagine a youthful WP team beating them in Durban.

The Golden Lions, who also have 15 points in the standings, could keep pressure on both the Sharks and WP with a victory over the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

Veteran flank Hendro Scholtz will start for the Cheetahs after returning against WP last week, but it will be openside Heinrich Brussow’s influence at the breakdown that could have the biggest bearing on the result.

In Kimberley, Griquas and the Blue Bulls, currently fifth and sixth, will battle it out to stay off the bottom of the log.