The All Blacks have opted to select a powerful side for Tuesday’s second tour game against the Sharks, but unfortunately the home side will be far from its best.
“We’ve got a lot of injuries, and we are midway in pre-season,” Sharks coach JP Pietersen admitted on the eve of the match.
Besides injury concerns to Springboks Bongi Mbonambi, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan and Jaden Hendrikse, Vincent Tshituka has also been ruled out due to concussion.
“I’ll hold my fingers and toes together for tomorrow, but we prepare the boys as best as we can to give them a good opportunity to be robust and competitive against the All Blacks,” Pietersen added.
“We’ll see tomorrow how it goes and obviously we will not be at 100% – at best at 70 or 80% – but we’ll give it everything we can and we’ll see how it goes.”
HOW THE SHARKS AND ALL BLACKS TEAMS WILL LINE UP
SHARKS – 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Donovan Don, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Murray Koster, 11 Litelihle Bester, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Nick Hatton (c), 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Deon Slabbert, 4 Hendrè Stassen, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Nemo Roelofse.
Bench: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Rambo Kubekha, 18 Simphiwe Ngobese, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Matt Romao, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Luan Giliomee, 23 Ma’a Nonu.
ALL BLACKS – 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Fehi Fineanganofo, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Kyle Preston, 8 Luke Jacobson (c), 7 Wallace Sititi, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Bench: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Ethan Blackadder, 20 Semisi Ta’eiloa, 21 Cam Roigard, 22 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23 Emoni Narawa.
After Tuesday’s clash, the All Blacks will next face the Bulls on Saturday night, which precedes the first Test.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry fixtures and results
- Friday, 7 August: Stormers 21-38 New Zealand, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
- Tuesday, 11 August: Sharks vs New Zealand, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban – 19:00
- Saturday, 15 August: Bulls vs New Zealand, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – 19:00
- Saturday, 22 August: First Test, Ellis Park, Johannesburg – 17:10
- Tuesday, 25 August: Lions vs New Zealand, Ellis Park, Johannesburg – 19:00
- Saturday, 29 August: Second Test, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – 17:10
- Saturday, 5 September: Third Test, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg – 17:10
- Saturday, 12 September: Fourth Test, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, United States – 23:00 (SA time)
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