Sharks coach John Plumtree wasted no time in drafting his returning Springbok recruits into the starting XV for his team's Currie Cup crunch match against Western Province in Cape Town on Friday.

World Cup-winning utility back Francois Steyn will start at inside centre, the position in which he starred for the victorious Springboks in France last year, and not at flyhalf as was expected.

Ruan Pienaar will start in his preferred position of scrumhalf, with French star Frédéric Michalak — back from a hip injury — completing an international No.9/No.10/No.12 axis.

In fact six of the seven players in the Sharks' starting backline have international experience — most of them seasoned players.

The only uncapped player is left wing Chris Jordaan — with fullback Stefan Terblanche, right wing Odwa Ndungane (the third member of the Sharks squad back from Bok duty) and outside centre Waylon Murray joining Steyn, Michalak and Pienaar on the international list.

The side is packed with 11 internationals in the starting line-up — ensuring the Sharks will take a lot of confidence into this game — mindful though that this is a game Province absolutely have to win, making for a tantalising fixture.

With the Sharks handily-placed in joint top position with the Blue Bulls and Free State Cheetahs, only separated by points difference, this match represents the ideal opportunity of getting the second half of the season off to a flying start.

The only doubt is at number eight, where Keegan Daniel will undergo a late fitness test and has been bracketed with Nikolai Blignaut, while tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis will be given as long as possible to recovery from a calf strain. BJ Botha will start if his fellow World Cup prop, Du Plessis, fails to recover.

Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Francois Steyn, 11 Chris Jordaan, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Keegan Daniel/Nikolai Blignaut, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller (captain), 4 Albert van den Berg, 3 Jannie du Plessis/BJ Botha, 2 Skipper Badenhorst, 1 Deon Carstens.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 BJ Botha/Jannie du Plessis, 18 Steven Sykes, 19 Skholiwe Ndlovu, 20 Scott Mathie, 21 Bradley Barritt, 22 Riaan Swanepoel.

Date: Friday, 8 August
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 7.10pm (17.10pm GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Touch judges: Phillip Bosch, Marc van Zyl
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

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