Sharks move Lambie to centre

Published: Wednesday, 10. August, 2011 in category Southern Hemisphere

The Sharks have named all their available Springboks in this week's team to play Western Province in a crunch Currie Cup encounter at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday.

Patrick Lambie has been named at centre ahead of Meyer Bosman, while Odwa Ndungane, Lwazi Mvovo and Charl McLeod have also been named in the starting line-up for Friday's clash as part of six changes made by coach John Plumtree following their shock loss to Griquas in Kimberley last week.

The other three take over from Mark Richards, Sibusiso Sithole and Ross Cronje respectively with another Springbok, Adrian Jacobs on the bench.

The other changes to the starting team, see Ross Skeate return after a groin problem ahead of Jan Andre Marais and Eugene van Staden take over from Wiehahn Herbst.

Plumtree in accommodating both Frederic Michalak and Lambie in the team believes it will not present any problems.

"I did it in Super Rugby, so can I do it in the Currie Cup, so it's not really an issue for me," said Plumtree, "they're both outstanding players and we need to pick our best players when they're available."

On the bench Herbst takes over from Van Staden, Francois Kleinhans is in ahead of Ryan Kankowski, who has been called up for national duty, Conrad Hoffmann is back again and takes over from McLeod after almost three months out with an elbow injury and Jacobs fills in for Lambie.

Springbok lock Alistair Hargreaves is unavailable due to injury.

Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Patrick Lambie, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Eugene van Staden, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jan Andre Marais, 19 Francois Kleinhans, 20 Conrad Hoffmann, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Marius Joubert.

Date: Friday, August 12
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Assistant referees: Christie `du Preez, Rasta Rashivenga
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee

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