Springbok first choices Ox Nche and Aphelele Fassi have both returned from injuries to bolster a Hollywoodbets Sharks team that is arguably the club’s strongest selection of the season for Saturday’s crucial Vodacom URC derby against the Lions in Durban.
Nche has been out since he injured his leg playing for the Boks against Japan at Wembley Stadium in London at the start of the national team’s November tour. He comes back into the team as the starting loosehead in place of Phatu Ganyane, with Ganyane shifting to the bench.
Nche will pack down with his long-time Bok partner in hooker Bongi Mbonambi and the promising young tighthead Hanro Jacobs. Eben Etzebeth, who is suspended until the end of March, is the most obvious star absentee from a Sharks forward unit that is heading back to full strength, and which has Corne Rahl backing up from the bench as he makes his way back from a lengthy injury layoff.
Fassi was out of rugby for several months following the injury sustained playing for the Boks in their record 43-10 win over New Zealand in Wellington in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship season, but was back in the starting lineup when the Sharks beat Saracens in their second Investec Champions Cup game at Hollywoodbets Kings Park a few weeks ago.
He was, however, concussed in that game, which forced him to miss the Sharks’ big derby clash with the Vodacom Bulls just before Christmas. He replaces young Hakeem Kunene in the No 15 jersey, with the good news being that coach JP Pietersen has been true to his word in backing Jordan Hendrikse to assume the mantle of the go-to man at flyhalf.
However, with depth being so important if a team is to be successful in this time, when the South African teams are committed to both the URC and the Champions Cup, there is further good news for Sharks fans in the form of the return of another past match-winner, Siya Masuku, via the bench. Masuku has been out injured since the Sharks’ home URC game against Scarlets in October.
Saturday’s match at Kings Park in the first of an appetising South African URC double header, with the Durban game kicking off at 15:30 and the Stormers/Bulls north versus south derby kicking off in Cape Town after that.
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS TEAM: Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Ethan Hooker, Andre Esterhuizen (captain), Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Grant Williams, Manu Tshituka, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi, Emile van Heerden, Jason Jenkins, Hanro Jacobs, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Replacements: Eduan Swart, Phatu Ganyane, Mawande Mdanda, Corne Rahl, Phepsi Buthelezi, Nick Hatton, Jaden HJendrikse, Siya Masuku.