Cloete back as Pumas change for Sharks

The most significant selection is the inclusion of Munster-bound South African A flank Chris Cloete - who will start on the bench, after returning to Nelspruit from Super Rugby duty with the Southern Kings.

Cloete will head north to his new employers, Munster, after the completion of the Currie Cup season.

Another Kings star who arrived back in Nelspruit is Thembelani Bholi, who will start  in the No.6 jersey.

However, the Pumas have lost the services of Ryan Nell, Francois Kleinhans and Nardus van der Walt through injury.

The Currie Cup season got off to a great start for the Pumas last week, when they beat the Golden Lions in Nelspruit.

However, this week's trip to Durban to take on a star-studded Sharks team present a far more formidable challenge.

"Fortunately, rugby is a full squad effort, so we are looking forward to giving other players who are hungry for game time an opportunity to show what they can do," said Janse van Rensburg, who added that he was impressed by the performance from his side during the 43-36 win against the Golden Lions.

Pumas: 15 Gerrit Smith, 14 Ruwellyn Isbell, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Hennie Skorbinski (captain), 11 Jean-Paul Lewis, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Carel Greeff, 7 Lambert Groenewald, 6 Thembelani Bholi, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Jeremy Jordaan, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Marko Janse Van Rensburg, 1 Kwezi Mona.

Replacements: 16 Frank Herne, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Jannie Stander, 19 Chris Cloete, 20 Reynier van Rooyen, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Devon Williams.

Date: Saturday, July 29

Venue: Kings Park, Durban

Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)

Referee: Quinton Immelman

Assistant referees: Archie, Sehlako, Aimee Barrett-Theron

TMO: Johan Greeff