The Cell C Sharks Under 21s start their SA Rugby Under 21 Championship campaign on a challenging note as they host their Western Province age group counterparts at Hollywoodbets Kings Park (KP2) on Saturday.
After a long but committed pre-season, the Under 21s are well-placed to meet this challenge head on.
“Our prep has gone really, really well; we’ve had two warm-up games, one against the Lions and the other against the Leopards which were good tests for us that taught us some very valuable lessons going into the competition in terms of what we needed to work on to be better and the areas we needed to address,” explains head coach Mike Vowles.
“After a fairly long pre-season – we’re into week 17 – the guys are fit, strong and very keen to go out and put in a good performance and start the competition well.”
Western Province are typically strong contenders each year and Vowles is under no illusion as to the enormity of the task that lies ahead.
“We’re excited about this match, we know Western Province is a quality outfit, they will have an older team with players from Varsity Cup and they will be incredibly strong. It’s going to be a huge challenge, particularly upfront with the physicality they’ll bring, but we have our systems and plans in place and will stick to them and I’m sure the guys will put in a massive performance on Saturday.
“We’ll be a young team in the competition because we don’t have too many Under 21s in our squad, but, in saying that, the youngsters will certainly bring a lot of energy and character to the party.
“I’m really excited to see what this group can do. It’s nice that we’ve enjoyed consistency, we’ve gone with the same group from the Under 20 competition, so there’s lots to be excited about.”
Saturday’s match kicks off at 1pm.
The Cell C Sharks Under 21s
1. Abrahaam Reyneke
2. Bryce Calvert
3. Munashe Mhere
4. Le Roux Coetzee
5. Corne Rahl
6. Damon Royle
7. Enos Ndiao
8. Nicholas Hatton (Captain)
9. Michael Koch
10. Brandon Wilkie
11. Siviwe Zondani
12. Ethan Hooker
13. Taurin Craze
14. Curwin Gertse
15. Hakeem Kunene
Replacements
16. Marnus Winter
17. Henko Smuts
18. Blaine Golden
19. William Proudfoot
20. Siyambuka Ningiza
21. Christian Els
22. Liqhayiya Gantsho
23. Lloyd Koster
The post A New Challenge appeared first on The Sharks.
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Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: Zulu Monarch – KwaZulu-Natal, as the name may suggest, is also the home to the Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. Although not holding any direct political power, the Zulu king is provided a stipend by the government, and holds considerable sway over more traditionalist Zulu people in the province. To date, the Zulu king has thirteen wives. Traditionally, each year a ceremony is performed in which the king receives another wife. The current King has kept this ceremony, called the “Reed Dance”, but not chosen a wife, instead using the ceremony to promote abstinence until marriage, as a way of preserving Zulu culture and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
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