The Sharks have made a number of personnel and positional changes for their encounter with Griquas in Durban on Saturday.

Sharks coach Brad Macleod-Henderson will be hoping the changes can bring about some fresh impetus to his side and an attacking edge they've sorely been lacking this season. Most notable is the absence of SP Marais, who drops out of the squad altogether following a number of scratchy performances.

Jaco van Tonder will take over the No 15 jersey, while there has also been a change in the midfield. Heimar Williams gets his first start of the season, with Paul Jordaan shifting to his favoured outside centre role and S'bura Sithole moving out onto the wing.

Up front, Etienne Oosthuizen has recovered from an ankle injury and will start in place of Francois Kleinhans who suffered a broken hand in the defeat to the Pumas.

Stephan Lewies has been partnered with young Wiehan Hay in the second row, while the experienced Marco Wentzel will provide cover from the bench.

In the final changes to the starting XV, Lourens Adriaanse and Thomas du Toit return as Macleod-Henderson continues to rotate his front row.

Sharks – 15 Jaco van Tonder, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Heimar Williams, 11 S’bura Sithole, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Tera Mtembu (c), 7 Etienne Oosthuizen, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Wiehan Hay, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Subs: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Marco Wentzel, 19 Johan Meyer, 20 Cameron Wright, 21 Lionel Cronjé, 22 Tim Swiel.

Photo: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix