The 10th-placed Hollywoodbets Sharks will meet the last-placed Zebre Parma in their closing match of the competition on Saturday at 13:45 (SA Time), after both sides dropped out of the playoff race earlier in the preceding rounds.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks will be determined to build on their resounding victory against Benetton when they take on Zebre Parma at Hollywoodbets Kings Park to put up one last big show for their passionate supporters as the curtain draws down on their campaign.
With a far more effective attack and defence, and the KwaZulu-Natalians having the luxury of home ground advantage, they will have all the motivation they need to deliver another strong performance to finish the league stages with a big victory.
Head coach JP Pietersen has largely stuck with the side that dismantled Zebre’s Italian cousins Benetton last week, keeping the forward pack intact and making a couple of changes to the backline.
Vusi Moyo, fresh off the Junior Boks’ unbeaten run in SANZAAR’s Under 20 Rugby Championship (and the trophy), makes his URC debut at flyhalf, with Zekhethelo Siyaya reverting to the fullback position he occupied the previous two weeks, while Litelihle Bester replaces the injured Makazole Mapimpi, who took two heavy knocks in the 46-7 victory a week ago.
Edwill van der Merwe also misses this game through injury, with Jaco Williams elevated to a start and Le Roux Malan taking his place on the bench, joined by Deon Slabbert, who comes in for Corne Rahl in the number 19 jersey.
Teams:
Hollywoodbets Sharks: 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (captain), 11 Litelihle Bester, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Nick Hatton, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Deon Slabbert, 20 Matt Romao, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Jean Smith, 23 Le Roux Malan.
Zebre Parma: 15 Mirko Belloni, 14 Malik Faissal, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Damiano Mazza, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giovanni Montemauri, 9 Alessandro Fusco (Captain), 8 Samuele Locatelli, 7 Bautista Stavile, 6 Alessandro Ortombina, 5 Matteo Canali, 4 Franco Carrera, 3 Ion Neculai, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Muhamed Hasa. Replacements: 16 Giovanni Quattrini, 17 Luca Franceschetto, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 David Odiase, 20 Giampietro Ribaldi, 21 Iacopo Bianchi, 22 Migael Prinsloo, 23 Martin Roger Farias.