There are only three Springbok players in the whole matchday squad of 23.
Coach JP Pietersen has picked just two Springbok players in the Sharks starting team for the Champions Cup clash against Sale in England on Saturday.
The team is packed with young players with only Vincent Koch and Francois Venter having international Test experience. Vincent Tshituka, on the bench, is the only other player in the matchday-23 who’s played Test rugby.
Nick Hatton once again leads the team in this third round tie, as he did in round one against Toulouse in the middle of last month.
While the team may be lacking in experience, it has plenty of exciting players in the mix, including Hakeem Kunene, Yaw Penxe, Jurenzo Julius and halfback partners Siya Masuku and Ross Braude.
Up front, Emmanuel Tshituka will be joined by Tino Mavesere on the flanks, while Emile van Heerden provides some brawn in the second row.
Both teams have one win and one loss in the competition so far.
The Sharks from Durban go into the game on the back of a last-minute defeat to the Lions in the URC in Durban last weekend.
The match will be played at CorpAcq Stadium in Manchester with kick-off at 7.30pm SA time Saturday.
Sharks: Hakeem Kunene, Yaw Penxe, Francois Venter, Jurenzo Julius, Le Roux Malan, Siya Masuku, Ross Braude, Nick Hatton (capt), Emmanuel Tshituka, Tino Mavesere, Emile van Heerden, Corne Rahl, Vincent Koch, Eduan Swart, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko. Bench: Ethan Bester, Phatu Ganyane, Mawande Mdanda, Vincent Tshituka, Matt Romao, Ceano Everson, Jean Smith, Marnus Potgieter.
