Michael Claassens will start at scrumhalf in one of five changes to the Sharks' starting lineup for Friday's Super Rugby clash against the Bulls at Loftus.

Director of rugby Gary Gold has made a number of rotational changes, with Claassens coming in for Cobus Reinach, who drops to the bench, while Lwazi Mvovo, Lourens Adriaanse and Kyle Cooper will all start, replacing Odwa Ndungane, Coenie Oosthuizen and Franco Marais respectively. 

The one injury-enforced alteration to the starting lineup sees Philip van der Walt come in for Jean-Luc du Preez, with Keegan Daniel notably included on the bench for the first time this season.

Sharks – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Philip van der Walt, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Beast Mtawarira (c).
Subs: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Keegan Daniel, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Garth April, 23 Odwa Ndungane.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images