Cell C Sharks vs Tafel Lager Griquas Preview Article:
The Cell C Sharks host the Tafel Lager Griquas at Jonsson Kings Park on Saturday in an intriguing Carling Currie Cup semi-final between two sides with differing fortunes over the years.
Griquas have proved to be giant-killers this year and they hold a lot of belief in themselves where in years gone by, they perhaps lacked squad depth to sustain an early march on the competition. This year they’ve been in imperious form and have a Cell C Sharks scalp already this season.
What makes this game winnable after losing to Griquas in their last meeting?
“There were a lot of lessons to be learned from that game,” said Cell C Sharks head coach Sean Everitt in the lead-up to the match. “First of all how to deal with yellow cards, and also how to break down defences close to the tryline. We’ve worked hard on our attack and defence in the opposition and our 22.
“We’ve also built up momentum since then, we’ve beaten the Bulls, the Lions and the Cheetahs although we unfortunately slipped up against Province last weekend. But I think we’re a better team now.”
After losing last week against a desperate DHL Western Province side, Everitt warmed that his team are up for this match.
“Everyone wants to be in a Currie Cup final and have an opportunity to win it, so motivation won’t be a problem for us this week, although I wouldn’t say motivation was an issue last week. The guys tried really hard, we were just unfortunate in certain moments in the game and the energy won’t be in question this weekend.”
The Cell C Sharks set-piece has come along nicely over the course of the campaign and lineout time has also improved. With an experienced second row consisting of Le Roux Roets and Gerbrandt Grobler, the team has formidable fire-power in that department.
“Le Roux has played really well in Sharks colours during the Currie Cup, he’s someone who is on form at the moment, his contributions have been immense while Gerbrandt has come in and done a sterling job. They’re both very big boys and both add a lot of experience to the team. With Gerbrandt calling the lineouts, that’s a bit of an ace up our sleeve.
“I think our scrums were vastly improved on the weekend as were our lineouts. Those were the improvements we have made since the last Griquas game and it will be interesting to see how we go this weekend.”
The breakdown is an area that Griquas truly enjoy competing in and this has been a focus for the Cell C Sharks.
“They’ve been cleaning up most teams on the floor and the breakdown is going to be massive. With more breakdowns in a game than any other aspect, it’s an area of the game we’ve worked really hard at so that when we have the ball, we’re able to get some phases going.”
This match against Griquas is going to be about meeting fire with fire. Everitt warns that the opposition team’s continuity plays into their favour, and this adds to the threat posed by the men from Kimberley.
“They’re a team that’s been together for a long period of time and they’ve been able to build up cohesion and select pretty much the same team each week. So they do have continuity as far as selection is concerned.
“One thing they have is a team that believes that they can topple anyone over and they have done that during the Currie Cup which makes them a very dangerous team. They’ll be coming here as underdogs and they’ll know they have a chance. I’m sure they will come here and try to disrupt our style of play.
“Hopefully we can match them with the same physicality which they showed when they played us here last time.”
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Have you tried: Travelling to South Africa?
Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: The interior of Kwa-Zulu consists largely of rolling hills from the Valley of a Thousand Hills to the Midlands. These have been the subject of much literature. Alan Paton, in the novel Cry, The Beloved Country, said:”There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it. The road climbs seven miles into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa. About you there is grass and bracken and you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya one of the birds of the veld. Below you is the valley of the Umzimkulu, on its journey from the Drakensberg, to the sea; and beyond and behind the river, great hill after great hill; and beyond and behind them, the mountains of Ingeli and East Griqualand.”
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