Fleurs set for Sharks debut against Pumas
VARSITY Cup star Nevaldo Fleurs has gone straight into the Sharks’ Currie Cup team to play the Pumas today and will wear the No 15 jersey just over a week since he was in the Maties side that lost to Tuks in the final of that competition.
The 22-year-old Fleurs has just signed for the Sharks on a two-year deal.
Otherwise, the Sharks team that will run out at Kings Park today is packed with players with United Rugby Championship experience.
The big issue for this Sharks team is the lack of game time – they last played a Currie Cup match a month ago.
The Currie Cup schedule has lengthy gaps at the best of times, and then the Sharks had their match against the Blue Bulls a fortnight ago cancelled because of the floods in KwaZulu-Natal.
It is a very strong forward pack, while in a re-jigged backline, Boeta Chamberlain starts ahead of Argentinian Tito Bonilla, who moves to the bench.
Marnus Potgieter shifts from outside centre to No 14 and Anthony Volmink is on the left wing, with Jeremy Ward partnering Ethan Fisher in midfield.
Meanwhile, Pumas coach Jimmy
Stonehouse has named a settled team which is virtually the same squad that thumped the Lions in early April.
With two log points granted to both the Bulls and Sharks after the cancelled match, the Sharks are currently third on the standings with 24 points, nine clear of the Pumas, who the Durbanites beat 24-10 in a firstround match at Mbombela Stadium in March.
Teams For Kings Park Sharks:
15 Nevaldo Fleurs 14 Marnus Potgieter 13 Jeremy Ward 12 Ethan Fisher 11 Anthony Volmink 10 Boeta Chamberlain 9 Cameron Wright 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe 7 Jeandre Labuschange 6 James Venter (captain) 5 Hyron Andrews 4 Ruben van Heerden 3 Wiehahn Herbst 2 Kerron van Vuuren 1 Dian Bleuler
Bench: 16 Fez Mbatha 17 Khwezi Mona 18 Lourens Adriaanse 19 Emile van Heerden 20 Dylan Richardson 21 Thembelani Bholi 22 Zee Mkhabela 23 Tito Bonilla
Pumas: 15 Devon Williams 14 Sebastian de Klerk 13 Alwayno Visagie 12 Eddie Fouche 11 Tapiwa Mafura 10 Tinus de Beer 9 Chriswill September 8 Willie Engelbrecht (captain) 7 Anele Lungisa 6 Daniel Maartens 5 Shane Kirkwood 4 Malembe Mpofu 3 Ignatius Prinsloo 2 Eduan Swart 1 Corne Fourie
Bench: 16 Llewellyn Classen 17 Dewald Maritz 18 Simon Raw/Etienne Janeke 19 Darrien Landsberg 20 Phumzile Maqondwana 21 Giovan Snyman 22 Ali Mgijima 23 Japie Kleinhans