SHARKS

LOCATION: Durban, South Africa

COACH: John Plumtree

2011 RESULT: 6th

TEAM RUNDOWN: The departure of long-time captain John Smit won’t harm the Sharks as it’s paved the way for dynamic hooker Bismarck du Plessis to dominate for longer up front. With wonderboy Patrick Lambie calling the shots at five-eighth, the Sharks will have plenty of bite out wide as well to be legitimate contenders.

SQUAD: Dale Chadwick, Jannie du Plessis, Wiehahn Herbst, Tendai Mtawarira, Julain Redelinghuys, Eugene van Staden, Craig Burden, Kyle Cooper, Bismarck du Plessis, Anton Bresler, Alistair Hargreaves, Jan Andre Marais, Ross Skeate, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Steven Sykes, Willem Alberts, Jean Deysel, Jacques Botes, Marcell Coetzee, Keegan Daniel, Ryan Kankowski, Francois Kleinhans, Lubabalo Mtembu, Conrad Hoffmann, Charl McLeod, Cobus Reinach, Patrick Lambie, Frédéric Michalak, Meyer Bosman, Paul Jordaan, Marius Joubert, Tim Whitehead, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen, Sibusiso Sithole, Louis Ludik, Riaan Viljoen, Gouws Prinsloo