The Cell C Sharks’ Carling Currie Cup campaign shifts to Johannesburg when they take on the Sigma Lions at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday following a two week break.
After two wins and in particular a really commanding victory over the DHL Western Province a fortnight back, the team is building a good head of steam at this early stage of the competition and will hope to continue the momentum this week.
For head coach Etienne Fynn, the recipe for success is fairly simple.
“As always, you’re looking for improvement in the areas that you lacked a little in the previous game and building on those areas where you were strong,” he explains.
“It’s like a trifle, if you put too many ingredients in it, it becomes a mess, so for us it’s about keeping it as simple as possible and getting better and better in the execution of what you know works.”
The Lions lost 48-36 to DHL Western Province in the opening round before suffering a 50-9 defeat to the Airlink Pumas in their second match and with just one log point, prop up the Currie Cup table in seventh position.
Their team has been bolstered by URC players and they will not want to slip up a for a third consecutive game and face the prospect of playing catch-up over the remainder of the tournament.
Likewise, the Cell C Sharks will look to continue the momentum they have been building and this means executing and executing well.
The opportunities afforded to eighthman Sikhumbuzo Notshe, flyhalf Curwin Bosch and centre Marius Louw at URC level has opened the door for the likes of Thembelani Bholi and Murray Koster to get starts this weekend.
The opportunities for players to move up to the URC squad also has a positive knock-on effect for promising youngsters to get a chance at Currie Cup level, with young Bradley Davids, the 2021 SA Under 20 player, getting a call-up into the senior ranks.
Cell C Sharks
1. Khwezi Mona
2. Fez Mbatha
3. Khutha Mchunu
4. Le Roux Roets
5. Reniel Hugo
6. James Venter (C)
7. Thembelani Bholi
8. Celimpilo Gumede
9. Cameron Wright
10. Boeta Chamberlain
11. Marnus Potgieter
12. Murray Koster
13. Jeremy Ward (v/c)
14. Werner Kok
15. Yaw Penxe
Substitutes
16. Dan Jooste
17. Dian Bleuler
18. Wiehahn Herbst
19. Emile van Heerden
20. OJ Noa
21. Sanele Nohamba
22. Inny Radebe
23. Curwin Gertse
The post Developing and Growing appeared first on The Sharks.
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Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?
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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