URC: Continuity key for Sharks as they name team to face Benetton

Head coach John Plumtree has made minimal changes, all three rotational, with Trevor Nyakane at loosehead prop and Fez Mbatha starting at hooker in place of Ntuthuko Mchunu and Dylan Richardson respectively, while Phepsi Buthelezi and Emmanuel Tshituka swap jerseys this week.

The backline remains intact.

Sharks attack coach Dave Williams is excited not only for this match, but also for the way the team is building confidence into their attack.

"It all starts with how we exit from the back of the field and that's giving us some good field position and then we have great individual moments from players and we're executing from there," Williams told the Sharks' website.

Rugby is all about chemistry and combinations and continuity over the last five weeks certainly helps the team build momentum as the players spend more time together on the field.

"Those connections are massive, and the benefit of that away semi-final and away final was getting time together and now the third game on the road in the URC, so we've spent a lot of time together building those connections, both on and off the field."

Although there have been some tense finishes in recent times, coming out on top in those games shows the fight and character in the team, which Williams acknowledges is an important component in their successful run.

"Those late comebacks are something we pride ourselves on, showing strength in staying in the fight, we have pressure moments that we're able to deliver in those final moments.

"We'd like to pull away [on the scoreboard] but we know the calibre of our opposition this week with their test match experience.

"It's going to be a great challenge for us, one we're looking forward to. It's going to be a great contest amongst the forwards and the two backlines, but it's all about turning pressure moments into points."

Saturday's match in the northern Italian town of Treviso kicks off at 4pm.

Sharks - 15 Jordan Hendrikse, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka (c), 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Trevor Nyakane

Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Corne' Rahl, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Francois Venter

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