Wales flanker James Botham returns to the Cardiff side for Friday’s United Rugby Championship (URC) game against Sharks in Durban.
Botham is back on regional duty having impressed during the Six Nations. He is one of eight changes to the Cardiff team.
Cardiff Team Updates
Another Wales squad member, prop Kieron Assiratti, is back in the starting XV having begun on the bench against Bulls. Veteran back row Taulupe Faletau makes a first start since New Year’s Day having returned from a calf injury last time out.
Corey Domachowski and Rory Thornton also return in the pack. Thornton is in for the injured George Nott.
Johan Mulder is back at scrum-half. Ioan Lloyd takes over from Cameron Winnett at full-back and Iwan Stephens replaces Jacob Beetham on the wing after he failed a head injury assessment in Pretoria.
Sharks v Cardiff: The Stakes
Cardiff, who have won on their past two visits to Kings Park, are fifth in the URC table. The Sharks are 11th, though the South African side are in good form.
- Sharks thumped Munster 45-0 last weekend.
- Sharks are unbeaten in their past six matches against Welsh sides.
- Cardiff endured their first pointless URC match of the season as they were overpowered by fellow play-off hopefuls Bulls.
Team Lineups
Sharks: Giliomee; Penxe, Hooker, Esterhuizen (capt), Mapimpi; Hendrikse, Davids; Ganyane, Mbatha, Jacobs, Jenkins, van Heerden, Buthelezi, Tshituka, Hatton.
Replacements: Swart, Nche, Koch, Rahl, Potgieter, Hendrikse/Braude, Smith, Malan.
Cardiff: I Lloyd; Stephens, Millard, B Thomas, Grady; Sheedy, Mulder; Domachowski, Belcher (capt), Assiratti, McNally, Thornton, Botham, D Thomas, Faletau.
Replacements: D Hughes, Southworth, Sebastian, Lawrence, Basham, Bevan, Jennings, Evans.
Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy) is the referee.
Assistants are Morne Ferreira & Jonathan Lottering (SARU).
The game can be followed with live audio and text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.