Sharks to unleash Bosch against WP

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Sean Everitt has revealed his team to face Western Province in their Currie Cup Round Three clash in Cape Town on Wednesday.

The Sharks are coming off a bye in Round Two. They started their campaign with a 30-16 win over Griquas in Kimberley in Round One.

Everitt hasn’t changed the winning formula much this week, making just one enforced change to the forward pack.

In the absence of Phepsi Buthelezi, who will sit out this game due to concussion, Mpilo Gumede comes in at No.8

In the backline, Curwin Bosch returns at flyhalf and Thaakir Abrahams replaces Anthony Volmink (injured) on the wing in the two changes to the backline.

Wednesday’s match against Province offers the Sharks the opportunity to leapfrog the teams ahead of them on the log to the top of the table.

Everitt said the Currie Cup has become a balancing act between winning and giving game time to new players.

"We have to look at the Currie Cup in two ways," said Everitt. "We want to win it, make no mistake about it, but at the same time, we do have to grow our squad and this double-round competition does allow us to give opportunities to players because you can always rectify results if one week it didn’t go your way."

Sharks: 15 Manie Libbok, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Jeremy Ward (captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Thaakir Abrahams, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Mpilo Gumede, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 James Venter, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona.

Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 JJ van der Mescht, 20 Reniel Hugo, 21 Dylan Richardson, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.

Date: Wednesday, June 30

Venue: Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

Assistant referees: Local

TMO: Aimee Barrett-Theron