Springbok Mapimpi to start for Sharks XV
Coach of the Cell C Sharks VX, Ricardo Laubscher has named his team to take on the iCollege Pumas at Mbombela Stadium tonight in the semi-finals of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge.
Stalwart Makazole Mapimpi, who played for the Sharks’ Super Rugby team at the weekend, will travel with the match-day 22 to Mbombela.
The Sharks has included five changes to the starting 15.
Ross Geldenhuys and Mzamo Majola sees a brand new prop due.
Gideon Kogelenberg replaces Rikus Zwart on left lock. Kwanda Dimaza replaces Wian Vosloo on the bench who is not part of the traveling squad.
Johan Deysel, who was not part of the Sharks’ victory over the Lions, will start on left centre with Jeremy Ward making a positional change to right centre.
Kyle-John Whyte is also back for his team and will come off the bench in the number 17 jersey.
An outstanding performance by flyhalf Garth April enabled the Sharks XV to stun the Xerox Golden Lions 55-12 in their SuperSport Rugby Challenge quarter-final at Jonsson Kings Park in Durban last Saturday afternoon.
April played the role of general to perfection, scoring two tries, converting all his team’s six tries while he was on the field and adding two penalties for an overall tally of 28 points. He left the field with a dead leg halfway through the second half to well-earned applause from the Kings Park crowd.
Flyhalf Garth April was the star of the show, as he scored 28 points for his team in sublime performance.
The men in black and white scored four tries in no time, with their backs showing their class on attack.
The visitors scored first through a fourth minute try by Junior Springboks ace, Wandisile Simelane, but the April show started soon thereafter, with the crowd treated to a full array of skills from the flyhalf. He scored two tries, two penalty goals and six conversions before leaving the field to an applause.
