Cell C Sharks head coach Sean Everitt has shown commitment to the saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ by naming the exact same match 23 for his team’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with Connacht at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday.
He has rewarded the side that beat the log leaders last week by showing complete faith in their abilities, with the good fortune of no injury issues to hamper continuity in team selection.
With two rounds remaining and the Cell C Sharks in fourth spot on the log, they’re looking good for the knock-outs. But not just a participant, explains captain Thomas du Toit.
“We’re not aiming to be in the top eight, we’re looking for a home quarter-final,” he explains. “We’ll treat each game as if it’s our last game and the only opportunity we’re going to get, so the focus on each game is massive.
“We’re treating each game like a final and the value of a home quarter-final can’t be underestimated. We’re playing for that.”
Looking at their opponents, 10th placed Connacht, he admits that they are a little different to their Irish compatriots, but offer threats of their own.
“Munster, Leinster, and Ulster have similar attacking and defensive patterns, whereas Connacht play a freer style of rugby. The other three have more structure, but Connacht is the more physical side, if not one of the most physical sides in the competition.
“Connacht is well prepared and well trained and it’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
Saturday’s match kicks off at 4.05pm.
Cell C Sharks
1. Ox Nche
2. Bongi Mbonambi
3. Thomas du Toit (c)
4. Le Roux Roets
5. Gerbrandt Grobler
6. Siya Kolisi (v/c)
7. Henco Venter
8. Phepsi Buthelezi
9. Jaden Hendrikse
10. Curwin Bosch
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Marius Louw
13. Ben Tapuai
14. Werner Kok
15. Aphelele Fassi
Replacements
16. Kerron van Vuuren
17. Ntuthuko Mchunu
18. Khutha Mchunu
19. Reniel Hugo
20. Jeandre Labuschagne
21. Sikhumbuzo Notshe
22. Grant Williams
23. Boeta Chamberlain
The post Connacht at Home appeared first on The Sharks.
With two rounds remaining in this year’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship, the Cell C Sharks are well-placed for a quarter-final, and a home one isn’t out of the question either.
It’s going to take a massive effort, but that’s not an alien concept to the Cell C Sharks who have been picking up log points regularly, including a five pointer over the log leaders this past weekend.
This weekend Connacht visit Hollywoodbets Kings Park in the penultimate round of the competition, followed by a three week break until their final pool match, against Munster.
This clash offers the Cell C Sharks the opportunity to really throw everything at their opponents, secure in the knowledge that there is plenty of time to rest and recover.
“We’re not aiming to be in the top eight, we’re looking for a home quarter-final and we’re treating each game as if it’s our last game, so the focus on each game is massive, we’re treating each one like a final,” explains Cell C Sharks captain Thomas du Toit.
“There’s no underestimating the value of a home quarter-final and we’re absolutely playing for that.”
How far this competition has come. In the opening four rounds, when the South African teams had registered only a handful of wins collectively while on tour, things looked a bit dire. But now, with the Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls all enjoying top 8 status, the tournament has taken on a completely different complexion.
“We all felt like we got a bit of a punch in the face when the competition started and we didn’t really know what to expect, but now that we’ve sussed things out, it seems like most teams have turned the tide, we’re sticking to our guns and to what we as South Africans do well and they have to deal with that.”
Speaking about the captaincy, he explains that, “I wouldn’t say I’m the main oke here, my title has just changed. All along I was a tighthead prop, now I’m a tighthead with a little ‘c’ next to my name. Not a lot has changed, I definitely talk a lot more in team meetings, but not necessarily more on the field.
“The way I handle myself, the referee, the players hasn’t changed a lot, there’s just a title to the name and in a team lie ours, there are so many talented young, but already experienced leaders, so my job is quite easy. I just tell the ref if we’re going to poles or the sideline.”
As part of a dominant forward effort, he’s proud of what the pack have achieved although there was a time when the set-piece came in for criticism. But the forward effort has been a revelation this season. He admits that there were a lot of things they needed to work on, and they have.
“A lot of credit must go to our coaches,” he says. “They’ve simplified a lot of what we do, our lineouts and scrum have been made easy and we’re thriving. We’re training hard, we aren’t talking about making it right, we’re working to make it right. Hopefully we can continue taking forward steps.”
There were also issues around discipline and the penalty count, but this too is something that has been addressed and fixed.
“It’s all part of the natural progression of a team. We’re a team that enjoys playing a lot of rugby, and when you do, there’s a good chance of giving away penalties because the guys are excited and sometimes go off plan. But it’s something we are keeping within the structure we need.”
The post Giving it our best shot appeared first on The Sharks.
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Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: The Story of Huberta – Huberta was a hippopotamus and one of the most famous animals in South African history. In November 1928, Huberta left her waterhole in the St. Lucia Estuary, in Zululand and set off on the 1600km journey to the Eastern Cape, a journey which would take her three years. In that time Huberta became a minor celebrity in South Africa and attracted crowds wherever she went. She was initially thought to be a male and was nicknamed Hubert by the press. She stopped for a while at the mouth of the Mhlanga River in Natal and a failed attempt was made to capture her and put her in Johannesburg Zoo. After this, she headed south to Durban, where she visited a beach and a country club. Moving on to the Umgeni River, she became revered by Zulus and Xhosas alike. Finally she arrived in East London in March 1931. Despite her having been declared Royal Game (and thus protected) by the Natal Provincial Council, she was shot by hunters a month later. After a public outcry, the hunters were arrested and fined £25. Huberta’s body was recovered and sent to a taxidermist in London. Upon her return to South Africa in 1932, she was greeted by 20,000 people and can now be seen in the Amathole Museum, in King William’s Town.
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Media statement by Ugu South Coast Tourism (USCT)