The Hollywoodbets Sharks will be seeking consistency when they take on the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in a Round Two EPCR Challenge Cup clash on Sunday afternoon.
A 45-5 victory against Pau at Hollywoodbets Kings Park last Saturday set the tone for the tournament, but following up that big result with another against Free State is the exact tonic this team would relish, and flourish from.
Confidence is high and scoring 69 points against the Dragons in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship less than three weeks ago shows that this is a team that knows how to win, and win big.
The men from Bloemfontein cannot be underestimated and also go into round two off the back of a 33-15 away win against Zebre Parma in Italy last weekend.
Both sides will enter this match with confidence which makes for another mouth-watering derby clash between the old foes who have fought huge battles over the years.
Once again, head coach John Plumtree has stuck to his guns by selecting an almost unchanged match 23, with the only changes coming in at lock where Corne Rahl shifts to the bench to accommodate Le Roux Roets who gets his first start after making his long-awaited return from injury last week and on the wing where Werner Kok has been cleared to start and takes over from Marnus Potgieter.
Young Ethan Hooker gets another chance to impress after a strong showing in his team’s six try to one drubbing of Pau last week. The SA Under 20 centre who hasn’t yet turned 21 featured prominently for the Hollywoodbets Sharks Under 20s, captaining the side to the SA Rugby Under 20 Cup title earlier this year.
Hollywoodbets Sharks
1. Ox Nche
2. Kerron van Vuuren
3. Coenie Oosthuizen
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Le Roux Roets
6. James Venter
7. Phepsi Buthelezi
8. Sikhumbuzo Notshe
9. Grant Williams
10. Curwin Bosch
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Francois Venter
13. Lukhanyo Am (c)
14. Werner Kok
15. Aphelele Fassi
Replacements
16. Daniel Jooste
17. Ntuthuko Mchunu
18. Hanro Jacobs
19. Corne Rahl
20. Jeandre (Lappies) Labuschagne
21. Jaden Hendrikse
22. Lionel Cronje
23. Ethan Hooker
Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images/BackpagePix