Talented Adams on debut for Sharks
College Rovers wing Tythan Adams will make his Currie Cup debut for the Cell C Sharks against the Free State Cheetahs this weekend.
The 27-year-old flyer comes into the starting lineup in place of Kobus van Wyk, who is nursing a groin injury.
Adams has been a prolific try scorer for Durban club Rovers over the past three seasons, and played for Selkirk RFC in Scotland as part of the exchange program after being named Gold Cup back of the year in 2016.
Coach Rob du Preez said the time was right to give Adams a shot in the Currie Cup.
“He’s been with us the last month or so and he’s really impressed all of us. He’s a guy with a fantastic work ethic and it’s great to give a guy like that a chance. It was just a matter of time and we’re very pleased to have him in the mix,” Du Preez said.
This weekend’s clash presents an opportunity for the Sharks to leapfrog the Cheetahs to go top of the log. In any other circumstance, it would the biggest match-up of the round, but the Free State side’s foray into the European Pro14 starts on Friday night.
That means they will put out a second string side to face the Sharks – which makes things slightly easier for the home side. However Du Preez cautioned against complacency as they plan to take a stranglehold on the competition.
“First and foremost, we will not disrespect the Cheetahs coming here, whatever team they put on the park. Secondly we want to concentrate on what we have to do and one thing in particular is to sort out our attack in our oppositions 22 – we need to be more patient and that is something we’ve really worked hard on this week. We created a lot of opportunities last week that we didn’t convert and that’s a big work on for us,” Du Preez said.
The rest of the team remains largely unchanged – while Springbok flyhalf Curwin Bosch is a notable omission. The youngster was left out of the Bok squad for their Australasian leg of the Rugby Championship – but he returned to Durban too late to be selected this week.
“It’s just too late, we’d already finished Monday and Tuesday practices – so I had a chat to Curwin and he understands that and he will be back in the mix next week,” the coach said.
In the front row, Thomas du Toit makes a welcome return from injury, while John-Hubert Meyer replaces the rested Ross Geldenhuys.
Meanwhile new recruit Akker van der Merwe gets his first start in a Sharks jersey, swopping out with Franco Marais.
The Sharks take on the Cheetahs at Growthpoint Kings Park on Saturday. Kickoff is at 16h15.
Sharks team (15-1):
Inny Radebe, Tythan Adams, Jeremy Ward, Lukhanyo Am, S’bu Nkosi, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Louis Schreuder, Tera Mtembu, Jacques Vermeulen, Keegan Daniel, Ruan Botha (c), Tyler Paul, John-Hubert Meyer, Akker van der Merwe, Thomas du Toit.
Replacements: Franco Marais, Mzamo Majola, Jean Droste, Wian Vosloo, Michael Claassens, Marius Louw, Garth April.