Marius Louw will start at inside centre when the Sharks face the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.
Louw comes in for Andrè Esterhuizen in a rotational change. Up front, Hyron Andrews returns to the starting XV, while Philip van der Walt moves to No 8, and Jacques Vermeulen starts at blindside flank.
Meanwhile, Akker van der Merwe has returned home from the tour with a shoulder niggle, with Fez Mbatha having joined the team earlier in the week to cover hooker.
Sharks coach Robert du Preez said he was pleased with the team’s progress so far on tour, which has seen the Durbanites defeat the Waratahs and draw with the Crusaders.
‘We know how tough it is to tour and how tough this competition is, so to beat the Waratahs for the first time in 19 years in Sydney [the last time was in 2000], that’s a great feat, as was the draw against the Crusaders, very nearly a win.’
Sharks – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Louis Schreuder (c), 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Hyron Andrews, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Subs: 16 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Luke Stringer, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Robert du Preez, 23 Kobus van Wyk.
Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
