The Cell C Sharks will be seeking another character-driven performance in the Currie Cup on Saturday when they meet DHL Western Province in the final round of the pool stages.
With a home semi-final secured and looking to maintain their position on the top of the log which would translate into a home final should they get there, a win in Cape Town is not negotiable as the Cell C Sharks chase an eighth straight victory in their march towards glory under coach Joey Mongalo.
This team has had an injection of URC players as the tournament reaches the business end, Phepsi Buthelezi leading a team that shows 14 changes from last week’s starting XV with an eye on having a rejuvenated squad available for the knock-outs.
Assistant coach JP Pietersen explains: “It’s been a very long Currie Cup and the majority of the boys have played throughout. We had a chat as coaches about freshening them up, getting them hungry for a home semi, that’s one thing we’re 100% sure of. We want to put all our energy into the home semi.
“In saying that, we still need to do the job in Cape Town so we can get a home final.”
Pietersen points out that continuity has been important throughout the campaign, but given the demands on the bodies, player welfare and management is key at this stage.
“The group has really put their hands up and the cohesion is really good. You have to give the boys credit for this, they’ve won games and it’s been easy to stick with them.”
Key to the unbeaten streak is not only in the performances, but in the players’ positive and ambitious mental state.
“You can see in the results that this is a group that’s been together and played together for a long time, the cohesion is there. But as coaches, you can coach as much as you can, but the want from the players is there.
“That’s very satisfying for the coaches, we give them the platform to express their talent and they have shown the desire to not simply be competitive in the Currie Cup, they want to win it.”
Saturday’s match at the Cape Town Stadium kicks off at 17:00.
Cell C Sharks
- Khwezi Mona
- Kerron van Vuuren
- Carlu Sadie
- Hyron Andrews
- Gerbrandt Grobler
- Thembelani Bholi
- Phepsi Buthelezi (c)
- Sikhumbuzo Notshe
- Cameron Wright
- Curwin Bosch
- Phiko Sobahle
- Marnus Potgieter
- Rohan Janse van Rensburg
- Werner Kok
- Thaakir Abrahams
Replacements
- Dameon Venter
- Dian Bleuler
- Hanro Jacobs
- Corne Rahl
- Nick Hatton (debut)
- Celimpilo Gumede
- Tiaan Fourie
- Nevaldo Fleurs
The post Fighting For Glory appeared first on The Sharks.
The Cell C Sharks Under 19 campaign in the SA Rugby Under 19 Cup comes to a climax this Saturday when they take on the Blue Bulls Under 19s in the tournament’s final in Pretoria.
It’s been an exciting and fruitful effort for the youngsters and they now find themselves a step closer to glory after defeating Western Province in the semi-final last weekend.
“Last weekend’s win was a great result for us, we went to Cape Town confident and things turned in our favour,” explains coach Mike Vowles. “We were really happy with the team’s performance, we stuck to the plan, played within our system and that gave us plenty of reward.
“It was a great fight and test of the team’s character and we’re very proud of how the boys came through.”
It doesn’t get any easier this weekend, but the outcome of finals can never really be predicted early, it’s all about what happens on the day.
“This weekend is a new challenge and like any final, comes with its own set of pressures, but we’ve prepared really well, handled the workload to keep the guys fresh.
“They’re chomping at the bit to put in a really good performance. We understand that the margins in finals are very small and we have to make sure we’re on top of our game.
“We have a lot of respect for the Bulls team and the way they’ve played, but there’s an understanding of the challenge that we face and this is a team that’s grown really nicely over the last few weeks. To see them perform like they have is brilliant.
“We also feel that we’re peaking at the right time. We had a slow start to the comp but we’ve got better and better, so we’re confident and looking forward to the challenge.”
Cell C Sharks Under 19
1. Bradley Stanfliet
2. Ethan Bester
3. Nicholas Snyman
4. Garren Muller
5. Sphephelo Mbonambi
6. Matthew Fick
7. Connor Carson
8. Thomas Dyer (c)
9. AJ Knoetze
10. Drico Marx
11. Spha Ngcobo
12. Stehan Heymans
13. Michal de Beer
14. Somanga Jho
15. Hendrik Pienaar
Replacements
16. Andrew Davis
17. Faasen Laubscher
18. Siyabonga Dube
19. Trent Roux
20. Hugo – Ben Horn
21. Dallyn Beukes
22. Deano Boesak
23. Risima Sambo
The post Fighting For Glory appeared first on The Sharks.
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Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: KwaZulu-Natal borders the following areas of Mozambique, Swaziland, and Lesotho: Maputo Province, Mozambique – far northeast; Lubombo District, Swaziland – northeast, east of Shiselweni; Shiselweni District, Swaziland – northeast, west of Lubombo; Mokhotlong District, Lesotho – southwest, north of Thaba-Tseka; Thaba-Tseka District, Lesotho – southwest, between Mokhotlong and Qacha’s Nek; Qacha’s Nek District, Lesotho – southwest, south of Thaba-Tseka. Domestically, it borders the following provinces: Mpumalanga – north; Free State – west; Eastern Cape – southwest.
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