Sharks unchanged for Stormers showdown

The Sharks beat the Jaguares 19-15 in a bruising encounter las week after starting their Super Rugby campaign with a 43-8 win over the Southern Kings in Port Elizaberth in Round One.

A much anticipated battle of brothers between the loose-forward twins Jean-Luc and Daniel representing the Sharks, and their older brother, flyhalf Robert for the Stormers, will not materialise after the latter picked up an injury in his team’s defeat of the Cheetahs last week.

But there will be battles aplenty in this much-anticipated clash between two sides who have won their opening fixtures and are currently fighting it out for top honours.

Sharks : 15 Willie Le Roux, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Tendai Mtawarira (captain).

Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Hyron Andrew, 20 Philip van der Walt, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Garth April, 23 Sibusiso Sithole.

Date: Saturday, March 12

Venue: Newlands, Cape Town

Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)

Referee: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand), Stuart Berry (South Africa)

TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)