The Cell C Sharks host the fifth-placed Highlanders at JONSSON KINGS PARK on Saturday in a Vodacom Super Rugby match acknowledged as a must-win encounter against the New Zealanders.
The team returned from a week’s break from action and have shown their excitement at the prospect of getting back onto the field.
Head coach Robert du Preez, speaking on the eve of the match, admits that, “It was a much-needed bye, you could see it in the way the players returned to training this week, energised and we’ve had some really good practices leading into this game.”
Du Preez adds that the return of Beast Mtawarira to the Cell C Sharks team after an injury break is an added bonus ahead of the match.
“It’s always great to have a player of Beast’s calibre coming back into the team. As I’ve said previously, he’s playing some of the best rugby of his career.
“Having said that, I think Juan Schoeman had a great game against the DHL Stormers in our last outing. But yes, it is fantastic to have Beast back.”
The coach acknowledges that beating the Blues and coming close against the Hurricanes does bode well for his team against New Zealand opposition; that the Cell C Sharks tend to lift themselves for these matches.
“Our performances against the New Zealand sides, on their home soil, will certainly give the boys confidence. But every game is a new one and we can’t use history to predict the future.
Analysing the Highlanders’ victory over the Vodacom Bulls last weekend provides some interesting and noteworthy insights. Mostly about not giving them any opportunities at all and for concentrating from start to finish.
“The Vodacom Bulls were unlucky not to have won that game with all the possession they had, but it says a lot for a team that had just 30% possession and still managed to win the game. These guys play a good brand of rugby, they keep the ball for long periods and they’re relentless on defence. We know we have to break them down, we have to be patient.
“We know what they have in Ben Smith, he’s a class act, while their nine and ten are really good, so they’re players we’re going to have to watch very carefully.
“This is a home game and we need to win these ones, so this is going to be a massive match for us. The Highlanders would have taken a lot of encouragement out of their performance against the Bulls. But we’re going into this game with the mentality that it’s one we want to win. We have to win this match.”
Captain Ruan Botha, speaking about the bye and return to play, explains that, “It’s like a second breath for us at a vital part of our campaign, a good break was needed by some of the players. Coming back after a week off, there’s a lot of energy and the guys are excited and ready for this weekend. We’re very focused.”
Although the Highlanders pack appeared to battle in the match against the Vodacom Bulls, Botha admits that they won’t be seeing this as any kind of weakness to look to exploit, considering what the New Zealanders achieved in that game.
“Even with the limited ball possession they had, it just shows that you can’t give the New Zealand teams any opportunities and you really can’t stop until the final whistle has blown,” he points out.
“You have to keep on fighting right to the very end, even if that’s 85 or 90 minutes because they’ll keep on knocking until they get what they want.
“We learned that against the Hurricanes.”
The post Cell C Sharks vs Highlanders appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
Beast Mtawarira makes a welcome return to the Cell C Sharks side named to take on the Highlanders in the Vodacom Super Rugby clash at JONSSON KINGS PARK on Saturday.
The big man’s experience cannot be denied over a period spanning more than a decade, but it must be said that the player who deputised for him, Juan Schoeman, has been outstanding when called on.
The other change to the front row sees Akker van der Merwe coming in for Chilliboy Ralepelle at hooker, while Stephan Lewies makes way for Tyler Paul in a rotational change at lock.
The rest of the pack, as well as the entire backline, remain unchanged from the side that defeated the DHL Stormers two weeks ago.
The Highlanders’ last gasp victory over the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus last weekend – in extra time – will have given the Southern-most New Zealand team plenty of confidence going into this fixture. However, the Cell C Sharks will look to punish any overconfidence they might arrive in Durban with.
The visitors will certainly take confidence from their log position – currently fifth on the overall log – showing that they are well on track for a top eight finish and a place in the knock-out rounds.
For the Cell C Sharks, a battle royale on the South African Conference means that this game has plenty riding on the outcome, especially if the team can show the kind of determination and fortitude that was on show against the DHL Stormers.
| The Cell C Sharks |
Replacements |
| 1. Tendai Mtawarira |
16. Franco Marais |
| 2. Akker van der Merwe |
17. Juan Schoeman |
| 3. Thomas du Toit |
18. Ross Geldenhuys |
| 4. Tyler Paul |
19. Stephan Lewies |
| 5. Ruan Botha (C) |
20. Jacques Vermeulen |
| 6. Philip van der Walt |
21. Louis Schreuder |
| 7. Jean-Luc du Preez |
22. Marius Louw |
| 8. Daniel du Preez |
23. Lwazi Mvovo |
| 9. Cameron Wright |
|
| 10. Robert du Preez |
|
| 11. Makazole Mapimpi |
|
| 12. Andre Esterhuizen |
|
| 13. Lukhanyo Am |
|
| 14. Sbu Nkosi |
|
| 15. Curwin Bosch |
The post Beast is back appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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