Lions v Sharks: Six potential match winners

Sharks utility back Edwill van der Merwe. Picture: Gareth Everett/Gallo Images Several Springboks will be absent when the Lions host the Sharks on Saturday afternoon, but there are still plenty of big-name players capable of taking the match away from their opponents. The teams clash in their return United Rugby Championship derby at Ellis Park (kick-off 2pm) after the Lionssnatched a 23-22 winover the Sharks at Kings Park last month.

The Sharks are poised to secure theirsecond-ever URC South African Shieldwith one game to spare, while the Lions also have an opportunity to improve on their best-ever third-place finish from 2023/24. Most of the Sharks’ Springboks are unavailable due to rest protocols. The Lions, however, havefielded all of their Boks.

Here are some players who could turn the tide for their team: The former Lions star and rising Springbok flyer is one of the most dangerous players in South Africa at the moment. He starts at right wing, looking to repeat the strong showing he produced against his previous club in the first leg. There, he scored a try after chasing his own kick, collecting and then grubbering past a defender before dotting down.

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He also helped create Jason Jenkins’ try after a blistering run. He will hope to build on the four tries he’s scored for the Sharks this season. While it was replacement scrumhalfHaashim Pead’s late trythat secured the win in the first leg, it followed a strong 65-minute performance from Springbok Morné van den Berg.

‘Krappie’ has been one of the driving forces behind the Lions’ renowned brand of attacking rugby. His clever plays provide the impetus for threatening runs by the dangerous backline, while his own opportunistic pick-and-goes have shredded defences for local and national teams alike.

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