The Sharks have made three changes to their side for the Super Rugby clash with the Reds in Durban, with nippy scrumhalf Charl McLeod back in the mix.

McLeod takes over from Freddie Michalak at No.9, with the French playmaker dropping onto the bench where he can cover both 9 and 10.

Springbok tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis is also welcomed back into the starting XV, taking over from young Wiehahn Herbst as the scrum anchor.

"Jannie du Plessis comes back into the side, it's a good opportunity for him to have a start," coach John Plumtree told the Sharks official website. "Wiehahn has been going really well so he'll provide that impact off the bench. And it's the same scenario with Charl McLeod who also gets an opportunity this weekend [at scrumhalf]."

"Louis Ludik comes onto the bench to give Paul Jordaan some game time with the Sharks XV in the Vodacom Cup which is important," Plumtree added.

The other change to the team is in the second row, where Anton Bresler will partner Steven Sykes in the absence of the injured Ross Skeate.

"Ross has a disc lesion in his neck, nothing serious, but it can go at any time," team doctor Ewoudt van der Linde explains. "He has no symptoms and no pain, but some weakness in the arm.

"We are resting him for a week on the advice of the specialist and will then test him again next week to see if there is still weakness. If the condition has improved, we will rest him for another two or three weeks. But if there is no improvement, he will probably require surgery to remove the disc."

Jandre Marais come onto the bench as lock cover, having impressed during the Currie Cup last year.

"Jandre has been going really well and we have a lot of confidence in his ability. We also have Pieter-Steph du Toit as back-up, so we have some nice young locks," Plumtree added.

"We have to work really hard this weekend, the Reds are a championship side, a very confident side, a winning side. We have a big job to do here on Saturday."

Sharks: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Frederic Michalak, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Louis Ludik.

Date: Saturday, March 17
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)