Sharks team to play British & Irish Lions

Sharks coach Sean Everitt has made 11 changes to the team that lost 54-7 to the British & Irish Lions on Wednesday.

The Durban-based franchise are getting a second crack at the Lions 2021 squad in four days when they take on the tourists at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening (kick-off 5pm UK & Ireland time). And the short turnaround has seen Everitt make sweeping changes to his line-up.

In the backs, Werner Kok, Thaakir Abrahams and Jaden Hendrikse are the three players who will start the back-to-back matches, with Kok moving from the wing to centre.

Up front, only captain Phepsi Buthelezi remains in the starting XV from Wednesday.

The Sharks have named an 11-strong bench but can only make eight replacements.

Everitt is hoping his team show more patience in their second encounter against the Lions, saying: “Respect for the ball is really important.

“We do create opportunities but we need to show patience, we can’t force the passes or put kicks through, we need to hold on to the ball for an extra phase because somewhere along the line, the wall can break.

“We didn’t show enough patience with the ball on attack against the Lions (on Wednesday) and we need to back ourselves to hold it through several phases, even more.

“When we get that right we’ll be a really good, dangerous side and a difficult one to beat.”

Sharks team to play British & Irish Lions – Saturday 10 July

Anthony Volmink; Marnus Potgieter, Werner Kok, Murray Koster, Thaakir Abrahams; Lionel Cronje, Jaden Hendrikse; Nthuthuko Mchunu, Kerron van Vuuren, Wiehahn Herbst, Le Roux Roets, Reniel Hugo, Dylan Richardson, Mpilo Gumede, Phepsi Buthelezi (captain).

Replacements: Dan Jooste, MJ Majola, Khutha Mchunu, Thembelani Bholi, Jeandre Labuschagne, Cameron Wright, Boeta Chamberlain, Jeremy Ward, Lourens Adriaanse, Rynhardt Jonker, Curwin Bosch.

This match kicks off at 5pm on Saturday 10 July and all tour matches are televised live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.

Sharks team to play British & Irish Lions – Wednesday 7 July

Manie Libbok; Werner Kok, Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw, Thaakir Abrahams; Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse; Khwezi Mona, Fez Mbatha, Khutha Mchunu, Ruben van Heerden, Hyron Andrews, James Venter, Thembelani Bholi, Phepsi Buthelezi (captain).

Replacements: Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Wiehahn Herbst, JJ van der Mescht, Reniel Hugo, Dylan Richardson, Grant Williams, Anthony Volmink.

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