The winless Top 14 outfit have chosen not to send any first-choice players after already being eliminated from playoff contention.
With little riding on the European fixture, the French side are prioritising the demands of their domestic campaign, opting not to expose key players to the taxing journey to Durban via Frankfurt and Johannesburg.
Their task is further complicated by injuries sustained in last weekend's defeat to the Glasgow Warriors, which have sidelined front-rowers Etienne Falgoux and Sacha Lotrian, loose forward Selevasio Tolofua and winger Bautista Delguy.
These injured players will remain in Clermont along with the likes of Pita-Gus Sowakula, Regis Montagne, Rob Simmons, Harry Plummer and George Moala, ahead of the Top 14's resumption next week.
As a result, Clermont's travelling squad is largely made up of depth players and fringe starters, with younger forwards and reshuffled backline pairings set to test themselves against a Sharks team still battling for a place in the last 16.
The Durban side, meanwhile, also rotated heavily for last weekend's trip to Sale in Manchester - a match they lost 26–10 - with Saturday's clash firmly in mind.
The Sharks still have a chance of qualifying for the Champions cup knockout stage if they beat Clermont and Toulouse fail to beat Sale at home.
Springbok prop Ox Nche says the Sharks are treating their Champions Cup match against Clermont as if it were a playoff game and want to get the maximum points available from the fixture.
Stormers coach John Dobson did not mince his words in summing up the Stormers' woeful performance in their 61-10 humbling at the hands of Harlequins in the Investec Champions Cup on Sunday.
Sale Sharks saw off the Hollywoodbets Sharks 26-10 in their Investec Champions Cup clash at the CorpAcq Stadium on a bitterly cold evening in Manchester.
Stormers coach John Dobson has warned that a "desperate" Harlequins side could pose a serious threat ahead of Sunday's Investec Champions Cup clash at The Stoop.
