The Sharks XV traveling to George to take on the SWD Eagles in a compulsory pre-season friendly on Friday have plenty of experience.
For the Sharks it is a chance for the coaching staff to see some of the younger players, and those on the periphery, to impress ahead of the Currie Cup tournament, which kicks off against the Blue Bulls in Durban next Saturday.
Many of the players selected have been included at either Currie Cup level or in Super Rugby - with the tight-five in particular bringing plenty of experience at a top level.
All of Anton Bresler, Kyle Cooper, Wiehahn Herbst, Craig Burden, Ross Skeate, Marcell Coetzee, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Ross Cronje, Dale Chadwick and Julian Redelinghuys have represented The Sharks.
SWD should offer more than just token resistance in this game which will provide the visiting players with quality opposition on a competitive stage.
The Eagles finished top of the First Division log in 2010 (winning eight of their 10 matches), but sadly failed to overcome the Leopards in their promotion/relegation matches to the Premier Division, losing on points difference after the teams both won one of their two matches.
* Former Despatch and Eastern Province fullback Elric van Vuuren is back in the Eagles team, after an absence of a couple of seasons - while former Leopards centre Kempie Rautenbach and Border Bulldogs star Jeff Taljard is the centre combination.
Another former Leopards player, Cecil Dumond, will be wearing the No.10 jersey.
Dumond's halfback partner is former Shimlas flyhalf Jaco Colyn.
Up front former Cheetahs Under-20 hooker Martin Ferreira is set to make his debut for the Eagles alongside prop Eric Coetzee - another former Leopards man,
The Eagles' first league match in the First Division is on July 15 against the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth.
Teams:
SWD Eagles: 15 Elric van Vuuren, 14 Howard Noble, 13 Kempie Rautenbach, 12 Jeff Taljard, 11 Baldwin McBean, 10 Cecil Dumond, 9 Jaco Colyn, 8 Braam Immelman, 7 Lyndon Hartnich, 6 Wilhelm Koch (captain), 5 Henk Eksteen, 4 Giant Mtyanda, 3 Dean Hopp, 2 Martin Ferreira, 1 Eric Coetzee.
Replacements: 16 Robert Slabbert, 17 Brood van der Westhuizen, 18 Quinton Petzer, 19 Frederick Eksteen, 20 Deroy Rhoode, 21 Wenstley Scott, 22 Clint Wagman.
Sharks: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Mark Richards, 13 Piet Lindeque, 12 Heimar Williams, 11 Sbura Sithole, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Lubabalo Mtembu, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Siseko Jafta, 20 Ross Cronje , 21 Paul Jordaan, 22 Rosko Specman.
Date: Friday, July 8
Venue: Outeniqua Stadium, George
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
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