Eben leads Bok-powered Sharks hunt

Eben Etzebeth makes his long-awaited return to action as Sharks captain in a Springbok-laden team to face Edinburgh at Hive Stadium on Friday night. 

Etzebeth starts in a new-look pack from the lineup that went down to Lyon in their round-of-16 ECPR Challenge Cup clash in France more than two weeks ago.

The two-time world champion has not played since the Sharks’ Investec Champions Cup match against Exeter in Durban on 7 December, first due to recurring concussion symptoms and then because of a hamstring strain suffered at the Bok alignment camp.

He is one of a host of Bok stars back for the Durbanites as they go all out for a top-two finish in the Vodacom URC.

Head coach John Plumtree named an all-Springbok front row of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch. Etzebeth and Emile van Heerden make up the engine room with Siya Kolisi, Vincent Tshituka and Phepsi Buthelezi linking up in the back row.

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Siblings Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse form the halfback pairing while two-time World Cup winner Lukhanyo Am partners Andre Esterhuizen in midfield. Outside backs Ethan Hooker, Makazole Mapimpi and Aphelele Fassi complete the starting XV.

Playmakers Grant Williams, Siya Masuku and Jurenzo Julius are in line to make an impact off the bench, along with Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Jason Jenkins and James Venter.

The Sharks are currently fourth on the URC standings, and Plumtree holds bragging rights over Sean Everitt’s Edinburgh with two victories at Kings Park last season (23-13 in the URC and 36-30 in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals) but this is the first time the coaches will go head-to-head on Scottish soil.

SHARKS – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Eben Etzebeth (c), 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 James Venter, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Jurenzo Julius.

Photo: @SharksRugby/Twitter