| Venue:Kings Park Stadium in Durban Date:Friday, 11th March Time: 17:10 GMT |
| Coverage:Live on BBC Two Wales, and later on demand. Report and highlights BBC Sport website & app. |
Siya Kolisi, the South Africa World Cup winner, will be facing Scarlets when they face Sharks in Friday’s United Rugby Championship (URC), in Durban.
Also, nine other Springboks are featured on the South African side of the coin including Makazole Mapimpi (Sbu Nkosi), Ox Nche and Makazole Mapimpi (Ox Nche).
Dane Blacker and Sam Costelow are Scarlets’ half-back pairing. Rhys Patchell is unfit, and Gareth Davies is back with Wales.
The only change they made was to wing Corey Baldwin in the case of Ryan Conbeer who is injured.
Baldwin will make his Scarlets debut since breaking his foot in preseason.
In the absence of Lukhanyo Am, Kolisi will be the skipper.
Am, a 28-year-old Springbok centre, signed a three-year contract with Sharks last week. He was then granted leave to spend two month with the Kobe Steelers in Japan.
Jeremy Ward is now in the midfield. This was one of three changes made to the team that won a bonus point victory at Benetton last October.
Lock Reniel Hugo is in for Ruben Van Heerden, while Sikhumbuzo Butshe replaces Phepsi Howeverlezi at number eight.
Notshe played six internationals. Other Sharks Springbok caps include Aphelele Fassi Curwin Bosch Jaden Hndrikse Bongi Mobonambi and Thomas du Toit. These are all tough tests for Dwayne peel’s Scarlets side.
Peel stated, “You can see the Sharks are star-studded. A lot of Springbok internationals.”
“Physicality is assumed to be a given here. If we don’t show up with physicality, we will be in trouble. They can also hurt us with speed out there.
“We need to be disciplined, physical and clinical. It is a huge test for us but a great opportunity.
It will be the first ever match-up of the southern and northern hemispheres to take place in South Africa under the expanded URC competition.
The fixture was initially scheduled for November. was postponed following the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variantScarlets were temporarily left in Durban, before they returned via Northern Ireland isolation for 10 days.
Sharks have lost just one of the last six fixtures in this competition. Three of Scarlets’ four URC victories this season were in their last five matches.
The Welsh region has lost just one of the 10 previous South African encounters they have had with South African opposition. They were defeated 28-21 by the Cheetahs on December 2017.
Sharks: Aphelele Fassi; Sbu Nkosi, Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw, Makazole Mapimpi; Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Gerbrandt Grobler, Reniel Hugo, Siya Kolisi (capt), Henco Venter, Sikhumbuzo Notshe.
Replacements:Kerron van Veren, Ntuthuko, Khutha, Mchunu Le Roux Roets Grant Williams, Tito Bonilla and Werner Kok
Scarlets: Tom Rogers, Steff Evans; Johnny Williams, Scott Williams (capt), Corey Baldwin, Dane Blacker, Steff Thomas; Steff Tom, Steff Thomas; Steff Hughes; Samson Lee; Sam Lousi; Jac Price; Blade Thomson; Dan Davis; Sione Kalamafoni
Replacements: Shaun Evans, Kemsley Mathias, Harri O’Connor, Aaron Shingler, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Archie Hughes, Dan Jones, Joe Roberts.
Referee:Sam Grove-White (SRU).
Assistants: Marius van der Westhuizen & Morne Ferreira (SARU)
TMO: Adam Jones (WRU).