The Sharks may be sitting pretty at the top of the Currie Cup log but they have to contend with a Blue Bulls side that has Handre Pollard on the bench at King’s Park on Saturday.

Pollard’s appearance on the bench was somewhat unexpected‚ but Manie Libbok’s appendicitis laid him low‚ allowing the Bok flyhalf to get some game time ahead of the next two Springbok engagements against the Wallabies in Bloemfontein and the All Blacks in Cape Town.

Blue Bulls executive of rugby John Mitchell didn’t sound keen on using his Bok and that was clear in his exclusion of Pollard from the initial match-day 22.

Mitchell said the issue of introducing Pollard back into the team was a case of getting him back into some sort of rhythm as the former All Black coach made two changes to the side that lost to the Golden Lions last week.

Left wing Johnny Kotze and tighthead prop Conraad van Vuuren come in for Sibahle Maxwane and Matthys Basson respectively.

 “It’s good to have Pollard’s experience and he’s getting used to the way we train and he’s looking better than when he was here for two days before the Boks went to Australia and New Zealand. It’s always difficult for a new player to come in‚” Mitchell said.

“They need to find rhythm and getting used to the intuitiveness of a team-mate and the fact you play around in terms of the attack and defence. It does take time and that’s the way it works.

“You do expect the better players to adapt much quicker as compared to the others.”

Sharks coach Robert du Preez didn’t waste time in drafting Chiliboy Ralepelle and Dan du Preez straight into the starting lineup.

While there were players on form who could have legitimate reasons to complain‚ the national interest is important for Du Preez.

His twin son and Ralepelle didn’t get game time during the two-match Australasian Rugby Championship tour where the Springboks drew 23-all against the Wallabies in Perth and were blanked 57-0 by the All Blacks in Albany.

“It was important that once these guys had done their duty with the Springboks‚ that they come back to the Sharks family and we welcome those guys with open hands‚” Du Preez said.

“They are part of us‚ they didn’t get game time with the Boks and we’re pleased to have them back and give them some game time. They slotted straight back in.”

While the Sharks-Blue Bulls game is the main course of the Currie Cup menu‚ there are a starter and dessert either side of the King’s Park fixture.

The Cheetahs host the Pumas in Bloemfontein on Friday evening as the Free State side aim to ensure they’re not removed from their second-placed perch while Western Province host the dangerous Griquas in Cape Town in Saturday’s late kick-off.

Teams -

Friday:

Free State Cheetahs v Pumas – Free State Stadium‚ 5.30pm

Free State Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies‚ 14 Vuyani Maqina‚ 13 Ali Mgijima‚ 12 Lloyd Greeff‚ 11 Cecil Afrika‚ 10 Robbie Petzer‚ 9 Zee Mkhabela‚ 8 Jasper Wiese‚ 7 Chris Dry (c)‚ 6 Daniel Maartens‚ 5 Carl Wegner‚ 4 Dennis Visser‚ 3 Erich de Jager‚ 2 Joseph Dweba‚ 1 Gert Coetzee.

Substitutes: 16 Reinach Venter‚ 17 Andrew Kuhn‚ 18 Jeremy Jordaan‚ 19 Nicolaas Immelman‚ 20 JP Smith‚ 21 JW Jonker‚ 22 Stephan janse van Rensburg.

Pumas – 15 Justin van Staden‚ 14 Jerome Pretorius‚ 13 Gerrit Smith‚ 12 Hennie Skorbinski (c)‚ 11 Ruwellyn Isbell‚ 10 Kobus Marais‚ 9 Stefan Ungerer‚ 8 Willie Engelbrecht‚ 7 Thembelani Bholi‚ 6 Brian Shabangu‚ 5 Hugo Kloppers‚ 4 Stefan Willemse‚ 3 Pieter Scholtz‚ 2 Frankie Herne‚ 1 Kwezi Mona.

Subs: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg‚ 17 De-Jay Terblanche‚ 18 Cameron Lindsay‚ 19 François Kleinhans‚ 20 Hilton Lobberts‚ 21 Theo Maree‚ 22 Selom Gavor.

Saturday:

Sharks v Blue Bulls – King’s Park‚ 3pm

Sharks – 15 Garth April‚ 14 Odwa Ndungane‚ 13 Jeremy Ward‚ 12 Marius Louw‚ 11 S’bu Nkosi‚ 10 Curwin Bosch‚ 9 Michael Claassens‚ 8 Dan du Preez‚ 7 Jacques Vermeulen‚ 6 Keegan Daniel‚ 5 Ruan Botha‚ 4 Tyler Paul‚ 3 Ross Geldenhuys‚ 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle‚ 1 Thomas du Toit.

Subs: 16 Franco Marais‚ 17 Juan Schoeman‚ 18 Jean Droste‚ 19 Tera Mtembu‚ 20 Cameron Wright‚ 21 Tristan Blewett‚ 22 Rhyno Smith.

Blue Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant‚ 14 Duncan Matthews‚ 13 Burger Odendaal‚ 12 JT Jackson‚ 11 Johnny Kotze‚ 10 Marnitz Boshoff‚ 9 Ivan can Zyl‚ 8 Jano Venter‚ 7 Jannes Kirsten‚ 6 Nic de Jager‚ 5 Aston Fortuin‚ 4 Ruben van Heerden‚ 3 Conraad van Vuuren‚ 2 Edgar Marutlulle‚ 1 Pierre Schoeman.

Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar‚ 17 Matthys Basson‚ 18 Tim Agaba‚ 19 Marco van Staden‚ 20 Piet van Zyl‚ 21 Handre Pollard‚ 22 Ulrich Beyer.

Western Province v Griquas — Newlands‚ 5.15pm

Western Province – 15 Dillyn Leyds‚ 14 Seabelo Senatla‚ 13 Huw Jones‚ 12 Damian de Allende‚ 11 Werner Kok‚ 10 Damian Willemse‚ 9 Dewaldt Duvenage‚ 8 Nizaam Carr‚ 7 Cobus Wiese‚ 6 Jaco Coetzee‚ 5 JD Schickerling‚ 4 Chris van Zyl (c)‚ 3 Wilco Louw‚ 2 Chad Solomon‚ 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.

Subs: 16 Dean Muir‚ 17 Caylib Oosthuizen‚ 18 Johan du Toit‚ 19 Sikhumbuzo Notshe‚ 20 Justin Phillips‚ 21 Robert du Preez‚ 22 Ruhan Nel.

Griquas – 15 Eric Zana‚ 14 Ederies Arendse‚ 13 Kyle Steyn‚ 12 Tertius Kruger‚ 11 Enver Brandt‚ 10 George Whitehead‚ 9 Renier Botha‚ 8 Kevin Kaba‚ 7 Sias Koen (c)‚ 6 De Wet Kruger‚ 5 Jonathan Janse van Rensburg‚ 4 Sintu Manjezi‚ 3 Nicolaas Oosthuizen‚ 2 Wilmar Arnoldi‚ 1 Devon Martinus.

Subs: 16 AJ le Roux‚ 17 Liam Hendricks‚ 18 Shaun McDonald‚ 19 Conway Pretorius‚ 20 Christiaan Meyer‚ 21 Christopher Bosch‚ 22 AJ Coertzen.