Sharks make key backline change for Currie Cup Final

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks coach Sean Everitt has revealed his team to face the Bulls in Saturday's Currie Cup Final in Pretoria.

Everitt named the same matchday 23 that defeated Western Province in last week’s semifinal in Cape Town, with just one rotational change – at scrumhalf – where Jaden Hendrikse will start and Sanele Nohamba playing off the bench.

The Sharks beat WP 19-9 in Cape Town last weekend and in the other semifinal, the Bulls beat the Lions 26-21 in Pretoria.

The most recent clash between the Bulls and Sharks was in Durban when the Sharks came away triumphant, but there were two losses for the Durbanites in Pretoria last year which could potentially bear some scars. However, Sharks No.8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe does not agree.

“Not really, what happened in the past is in the past, although it is possible to learn from those games," he said.

"What we took out of those games was that mistakes are punished. We made a lot of mistakes at Loftus we got punished for that."

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JJ van der Mescht, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche

Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Manie Libbok.

Date: Saturday, January 30

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)

Referee: Jaco Peyper

Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs and Griffin Colby

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen