Ryan Kankowski will start at No 8 for the Sharks in Friday's clash with the Rebels in Durban.
Kankowski makes a welcome return to action and slots in at the back of the scrum with Renaldo Bothma switching to flank, while Willem Alberts is bracketed with Etienne Oosthuizen on the blindside.
Springbok flank Marcell Coetzee will play no part in the match after the Sharks decided to rest him in accordance with Saru's player management agreement.
The only other change to the pack sees Mouritz Botha replace the injured Stephan Lewies in the second row, while among the backs, young André Esterhuizen is handed a starting role at inside centre.
His place on the replacements bench is taken by Heimar Williams, with Frans Steyn dropping out of the squad altogether.
Sharks – 15 Lwazi Mvovo , 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 S’bura Sithole, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts/Etienne Oosthuizen, 6 Renaldo Bothma, 5 Marco Wentzel (c), 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Etienne Oosthuizen/Khaya Majola, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Heimar Williams.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
