Axed Bok Reinach starts for Sharks

Cape Town - Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold has named his team to tackle the Pumas in a Currie Cup clash in Durban on Saturday.

Wing Odwa Ndungane has been ruled out of the match with a rib joint sprain and has been joined on the sidelines by scrumhalf Michael Claassens, who suffered a lower back contusion in last week’s clash with the EP Kings.

Ndungane has been replaced by Wandile Mjekevu, while Cobus Reinach is handed the No 9 jersey.

Reinach this week returned to the Sharks after failing to make the final 31-man Springbok Rugby World Cup squad.

The Sharks’ other Springbok training squad member not to make the Bok squad, utility back Frans Steyn, was not considered this week.

Meanwhile, Lourens Adriaanse, Khaya Majola, Jean Deysel and SP Marais are also unavailable due to injury, while hooker Kyle Cooper will play his 50th Currie Cup game should he feature off the bench.

Kick-off for Saturday’s clash at Kings Park is scheduled for 15:00.

Teams:

Sharks:

15. Joe Pietersen, 14. Wandile Mjekevu, 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Andre Esterhuizen, 11. S'bura Sithole, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Philip van der Walt, 7. Daniel du Preez, 6. Francois Kleinhans, 5. Marco Wentzel (captain), 4. Etienne Oosthuizen, 3. Gerhard Engelbrecht, 2. Monde Hadebe, 1. Dale Chadwick

Substitutes: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Thomas du Toit, 18. JC Astle, 19. Jean-Luc du Preez, 20. Stefan Ungerer, 21. Heimar Williams, 22. Garth April

Pumas:

TBA