The Western Force have named an unchanged starting line-up as they attempt to keep their finals hopes alive in this weekend’s Super Rugby clash with the depleted Sharks in Durban.
The Force suffered a heartbreaking 25-24 loss to the Bulls in Pretoria last week, with the Perth-based franchise sunk by a last-minute penalty despite scoring three tries to one.
In the only change to the squad this week, fullback Dane Haylett-Petty has been named on the bench after recovering from a foot injury he suffered in the season-opening win over the NSW Waratahs.
The Force’s finals hopes are on thin ice following five straight losses, and they face a tough ask to snap that losing run against the fifth-placed Sharks.
The South African outfit have won their past six matches against the Force, including a 53-11 mauling when the teams last met three years ago in Durban.
But the Sharks will enter the match without a host of their best players.
Springboks trio Cobus Reinach, Marcell Coetzee and Pat Lambie are all set to be rested under the agreement with the national side, while hooker Bismarck du Plessis is suspended after kicking an opponent in the face.
Centre Francois Steyn has been named, pending a SANZAR review on Friday of his initial judicial hearing outcome on Monday when he was found not guilty of a dangerous tackle.
Force: Luke Morahan, Marcel Brache, Kyle Godwin, Luke Burton, Nick Cummins, Sias Ebersohn, Alby Mathewson, Ben McCalman, Kane Koteka, Steve Mafi, Adam Coleman, Sam Wykes (capt), Tetera Faulkner, Nathan Charles, Pek Cowan. Res: Heath Tessmann, Chris Heiberg, Oliver Hoskins, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Angus Cottrell, Ian Prior, Zack Holmes, Dane Haylett-Petty.
Sharks: SP Marais, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen, Andre Esterhuizen, Lwazi Mvovo, Francois Steyn, Conrad Hoffmann, Ryan Kankowski, Jean Deysel (capt), Renaldo Bothma, Marco Wentzel, Mouritz Botha, Jannie du Plessis, Kyle Cooper, Tendai Mtawarira. Res: Monde Hadebe, Thomas du Toit, Lourens Adriaanse, Lubabalo Mtyanda, Daniel du Preez, Stefan Ungerer, Fred Zeilinga, Waylon Murray.
