The Cell C Sharks showed great heart in their 19-12 Currie Cup victory over the visiting Airlink Pumas at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in a tense clash on Friday evening.
The victory for the Cell Sharks consigned the Pumas to their first defeat of this year’s Currie Cup, taking great guts and determination.
Having controlled the game in its entirety in the first half, the Cell C Sharks enjoyed a sizable lead, had kept the Pumas scoreless and had every right to believe the victory was theirs. But a strong rear-guard action from the visitors in the second half closed the half-time gap and they threatened what would have been a monumental upset given how the game had gone in the first 40.
The opening minutes were filled with high intensity drama with both sides playing positive rugby and the Cell C Sharks scoring the first points inside five minutes, Fred Zeilinga converting a penalty with Marnus Potgieter earlier cut down just metres short of the tryline.
The visitors’ discipline started costing them as they afforded the home side numerous opportunities to work their way out their 22 and downfield, before the forwards rumbled the ball up and then scrumhalf Tiaan Fourie managed to force his way over the tryline, converted by Zeilinga for a 10-nil lead inside the opening 10 minutes.
A further couple of penalties conceded by the Pumas led to a team warning for repeated infringements and another three points for Zeilinga.
With a near-perfect execution of their game plan and the sheer dominance in the opening quarter, it was interesting to note that the first scrum of the game came in only the 20th minute, another dominant effort from the hosts as they continued to hold the upper hand against the defending champs.
A third scrum penalty took place in a kickable position in the 35th minute and there was no hesitation in sending it through the posts as half-time loomed and another opportunity to put more distance between themselves and the log leaders.
The Pumas had two late opportunities to conjure up some points but failed both times and had to go into the changerooms having been denied a solitary point, while the Cell C Sharks were full value for their 16 point lead.
Sensing that the game was slipping away from them, the Pumas came out in the second half with greater intensity and after conceding a couple of penalties trying to defend the rolling maul, the CelL C Sharks conceded a penalty try, and to add insult to injury, lost a player to a yellow card and another a red card.
Zeilinga maintained his 100% kicking record with a fourth penalty after a brave 13 against 15 effort had the Pumas defending their tryline and eventually allowing the Cell C Sharks to take a 19-7 lead as the game approached the final quarter.
Five minutes later the Pumas had their second try, another strong lineout maul to cut the deficit to a converted try.
Although the momentum had shifted, there was one area the Cell C Sharks could not be faulted: their courageous defence. Every player laid his body on the line and defended as if it were a final.
The Pumas may be commended for their fightback. For the Cell C Sharks, their fight. This was a huge win in the context of the competition.
The post A Good Friday appeared first on The Sharks.
When the Cell C Sharks travel to Toulouse for Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final clash with Stade Toulousain at the Stade Ernest Wallon, it will be a venture into the unknown.
The first season of Heineken Champions Cup rugby has been a huge challenge, but one the team has faced up to remarkably well given that this weekend is the Cell C Sharks foray in the quarter-final stage.
Unfortunately, they will be without three players who were injured in the victory over Munster at Hollywoodbets Kings Park last weekend, but have still named a powerful line-up.
Director of Rugby Neil Powell’s team selection for this match shows only enforced changes, with Hyron Andrews replacing Eben Etzebeth at lock, Grant Williams in for Jaden Hendrikse at scrumhalf and loose-forward Jeandre Labuschagne taking over from Emile van Heerden on the bench.
Cell C Sharks centre Lukhanyo Am admitted that the team are all set after the huge Munster clash, and he expects nothing different this weekend against the French giants.
“The bodies were a bit sore after the Munster game, that was a really physical game, close to test match demands,” he said and that the Cell C Sharks are focused on putting another strong attacking performance together for a second week in a row.
“One or two wins gets your momentum going and right now we’re in a good space. We’re going to France to go play rugby.”
His expectations of Toulouse are that, “The French sides have a similar style of play to us, with a focus on the set-piece and forward-dominance with a backline that’s not afraid to move the ball around. It’s almost like-for-like and going to Toulouse, they’re a big side in France with home ground advantage which is going to be a challenge for us, but it’s something we’ve prepared for.
“As South African teams, we like the physical and confrontational side of things and if you bring that against a side like Toulouse’s big pack, it will give us confidence in the game. We just need to minimise the penalties and make sure our discipline is good so we don’t give them opportunities to get into our 22, I think that will give us a fair chance.”
Saturday’s clash kicks off at 4pm
Cell C Sharks
- Ox Nche
- Bongi Mbonambi
- Thomas du Toit
- Hyron Andrews
- Gerbrandt Grobler
- Siya Kolisi (C)
- Vincent Tshituka
- Sikhumbuzo Notshe
- Grant Williams
- Curwin Bosch
- Makazole Mapimpi
- Rohan Janse van Rensburg
- Lukhanyo Am
- Werner Kok
- Boeta Chamberlain
Replacements
- Kerron van Vuurren
- Ntuthuko Mchunu
- Carlu Sadie
- Jeandre Labuschagne
- Phepsi Buthelezi
- Cameron Wright
- Ben Tapuai
- Thaakir Abrahams
The post The Big One appeared first on The Sharks.
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