Not even extensive travel, tough conditions or a passionate home crowd could dent the Cell C Sharks’ Heineken Champions Cup aspirations as they defeated Bordeaux Bègles 19-16 on Friday evening.
Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell admitted afterwards that, “It was a great win for us, especially knowing we’d have to come to Bordeaux – everyone told us how difficult it would be winning away in France against a French team.
“We also saw how much of an impact on the performance the crowd there has on the home team.”
Man of the Match Thomas du Toit summed it up, saying the match against their French opposition was “Physical, very, very physical,” and Powell added that, “Every player who came off the field, even the international players, talked about how tough it was, so it’s good to have got through that game with a positive result, even though it was really physical and tough. The win puts us in a good position to get to the knock-out stages and hopefully with the two remaining games, we can secure a home game in the round of 16.”
Despite trailing at half-time, the Cell C Sharks came out invigorated and focused in the second half, setting up the coup de grâce that delivered a second successive victory in the tournament and keeps them unbeaten – one of only four teams with a 100% success rate.
“I’m really proud of the boys, especially in the second half. At half-time we spoke about being in control of the game more after there were too many basic errors in the first half and maybe playing too much in certain areas of the field where we could have been better in pinning them in their half.
“Credit to the guys, they were a lot more accurate in the second half, more clinical and definitely showed a lot more control in terms of how we wanted to play and what we wanted to achieve.
“The turning point for me was that first defensive set in the second half where we really got some good, positive hits, where we were really physical on defence and then got the turn-over.
“How the guys reacted to what was said at half-time was really amazing and they showed it in their actions. We must also pay credit to the coaching and medical staff who prepared the players, this was a massive system effort that got us the reward.
“We will probably only understand how important this win was in a few years from now, when we come back to France to play French teams.”
With Heineken Champions Cup rugby now taking a brief respite to allow for the continuation of Vodacom United Rugby Championship commitments, the Cell C Sharks take on the Emirates Lions at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Friday night.
“This win was important and adds to the confidence we will take from the last few performances into the URC. But we have to shift focus, put this win behind us and start focusing on the Lions. We need to ensure that we prepare well and step up our performance.”
The post A Massive Effort appeared first on The Sharks.
Bordeaux, cheered on by their vocal home fans, managed to control the scoreboard in the first half, enjoying a 13-9 lead at the break, but never appeared fully in charge of the game, despite enjoying home ground advantage and knowledge of the weather conditions which were alien to most of the Cell C Sharks players.
Just one try apiece is confirmation of how tough the match was, but ultimately discipline is vital in these tight games and Bordeaux will look back at their indiscipline and know it cost them the result.
A solitary three-pointer was all that Bordeaux could muster against a committed Cell C Sharks team who now enjoy a 100% record in the competition with two wins from two outings.
It didn’t all start well for the Cell C Sharks after losing Werner Kok to an early yellow card and then conceding a try inside the opening 10 minutes. But the Cell C Sharks shrugged off the early disadvantage, helped in no small way by a prodigious penalty kick from inside his own half from flyhalf Curwin Bosch to ensure the French lead was within touching distance.
Despite being a man down, the Sharks struck for the second time in quick succession, taking points on offer thanks to a Bosch drop-goal and when Kok returned, the Cell C Sharks had scored six unanswered points during his absence to remain firmly in the game.
A scrum penalty sent the home side into a 10-6 lead approaching the end of the first quarter, but their indiscipline was starting to cost them and with half an hour gone, Bosch cut the lead to just one point with his second penalty.
Feeding off the energy of their passionate home crown, Bordeaux delivered a committed attacking effort that yielded their second three-pointer to restore the four point lead. Francois Venter had taken a knock to the knee and Nthuthuko Mchunu one to the head and the pair had to leave the field (Mchunu for an HIA, Venter off injured), which saw Lukhanyo Am making his long-awaited return to play, with Dian Bleuler replacing Mchunu.
The Cell C Sharks scored first in the second half, and with it, took the lead for the first time in the game following a sustained period of attack with indiscipline from the home side who kept committing indiscretions on defence. On a team warning, it didn’t matter as a colourful attack from the backline eventually ended in a try for Werner Kok, with Bosch adding the extras for a 16-13 lead with half an hour remaining.
As they started to physically dominant, the Cell C Sharks’ power game was no match for the home side whose scrum failed to function and their disciplinary issues continued to plague their progress.
With 15 minutes remaining, Bordeaux were given a general warning for repeated penalties against them and Bosch pushed the lead to six points to close out an exemplary place-kicking performance.
A penalty for the home side minutes later restored the three point margin, but it would be the last time either team scored. Bordeaux’s indiscipline continued to plague them and the referee finally had enough and issued the promised yellow card in the latter stages of the contest.
Man of the Match Thomas du Toit admitted afterwards that it had been a game of two halves, saying, “The first half was a stop-start affair and neither team could really get the flow going, but it was physical, very, very physical. In the second half, things opened up more, the ball was thrown around more, the passes were sticking. It was a great match.”
Of the Cell C Sharks’ unbeaten status in the tournament, he added, “A win away, especially in France, is massive for us, we’re really grateful for it and the guys pitched up enough to win this game.”
Heineken Champions Cup takes a Christmas break after this weekend, with these two teams meeting at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in the return leg clash on 14 January, 2023.
The post Pitching Up and Performing appeared first on The Sharks.
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