Kolisi leads Bok-laden Sharks for Champions Cup debut

Kolisi will be joined by in-form Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth for the clash after the pair missed the Sharks’ Vodacom United Rugby Championship win over Ospreys last weekend.

Eight Springboks will take to the field for the Boks in their starting line-up with four in the forwards and four in the backline while there are another four nationally capped players on the bench for the clash with the English giants from the Twickenham Stoop.

Sharks scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse will link up with Curwin Bosch, who made a strong return to the Sharks side last weekend when he was named player of the match, and the youngster is looking forward to the new challenge.

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“We are super excited to be playing in the Champions Cup and it’s going to be awesome to play in a new competition,” Hendrikse said.

“Taking on English and French sides in the tournament is going to be something very different to what we know, and we are looking forward to that.

“We want to show the fans an exciting brand of rugby and we want to give them quality entertainment this Saturday.”

The Sharks go into this weekend with an unchanged backline from their win last weekend while there are two changes in the forward pack.

Etzebeth and Kolisi come into the side as Sikhumbuzo Notshe moves to the bench and Vincent Tshituka moves to the side of the scrum from lock.

Kick off at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday is at 15:00.

Cell C Sharks v Harlequins

1. Ox Nche, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 3. Carlu Sadie, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Gerbrandt Grobler, 6. Siya Kolisi (c), 7. Vincent Tshituka, 8. Phepsi Buthelezi, 9. Jaden Hendrikse, 10. Curwin Bosch, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 12. Ben Tapuai, 13. Francois Venter, 14. Werner Kok, 15. Boeta Chamberlain.

Replacements

16. Dan Jooste, 17. Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18. Khutha Mchunu, 19. Hyron Andrews, 20. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21. Grant Williams, 22. Lionel Cronje, 23. Rohan Janse van Rensburg.