News

Sharks unchanged for Final

Thursday 23rd October 2008

Powerful bench: John Smit and Bradley Barritt

Following the example set by the Blue Bulls, Sharks coach John Plumtree has named an unchanged team to contest Saturday's Currie Cup Final at the ABSA Stadium in Durban.

Continuity seems to be the name of the game for this weekend's protagonists as both teams hope to maintain the momentum gained from their respective victorious semi-final.

With an all-international back-line and a total of sixteen players with Test experience in the matchday 22, the Sharks team shows a mix of youthful enthusiasm, world-class game-breakers, experience of playing on the biggest stage [the Rugby World Cup] and leadership spread throughout the squad.

Not to be discounted either is the massive value offered by the bench which contains four Springboks including the Springbok captain John Smit.

There are sure to be some mouth-watering individual tussles, but according to Sharks captain Johan Muller, this game is going to be based around team-work, creating and finishing opportunities and how each side handles the pressure.

As finals go, the 2008 Currie Cup couldn't ask for a closer contest and it is fitting that these two teams who have enjoyed such fantastic rivalry over the years are once more pitted against each other.

Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Francois Steyn, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller (c), 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 John Smit, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 Bradley Barritt, 22 Waylon Murray.

Date: Saturday, October 25
Venue: Absa Stadium, Durban
Kick-off: 16:30 (14:30 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Touch judges: Joey Salmans, JC Fortuin
TMO: Shaun Veldsman