Sharks throw teenage sensation in the deep end against Benetton

Head coach JP Pietersen has made changes to the team since the last match, some injury-enforced, with Andre Esterhuizen leading a team filled with vast experience and an interesting name at flyhalf.

Junior Springbok sensation Zekhethelo Siyaya, who has starred at fullback, has been named at No.10 for the Italian Job. Outside him is captain Andre Esterhuizen, with the exciting Jurenzo Julius at 13.

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi starts at flank alongside Emmanuel and Vincent Tshituka. He will look to add composure and attacking nous to a team that will look to finish the remaining two weeks of the tournament on a high after a season that offered so much but didn't deliver on the team's ambitions.

"We want to finish strong because it hurts," said the double World Cup winner, who heads to Stormers at the end of the season.

"The fans have been so supportive and we couldn't deliver for them and the club and we know we should be better than we were. We have a big challenge this week, they're a great team who have beaten some big sides this season, so we want to finish strong and in these last two games and build going forward."

Sharks - 15 Jaco Williams, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Emmanuel Tshituka, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Ox Nche.

Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Nicholas Hatton, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Jean Smith, 23 Litelihle Bester.