Philip van der Walt is the quintessential representation of a Cell C Sharks player – professional, hard-working, determined and passionate.
This past week he captained our side and led from the front, scoring an early try that set the tone for a match we needed to, and did, win. In short, he gave everything required of him. And more.
“I like the responsibility of being captain, but it doesn’t go to my head, I’m the same person,” he explains. “I don’t need a title to lead and there are a lot of leaders in the team so it makes the captaincy very easy. I didn’t have to do anything, everyone was up for it and everyone led in their own positions.”
The performances against the Rebels one week and the Jaguares the next were chalk and cheese, with the latter, this past Saturday, accomplishing what no other team has be able to this season: defeating the Jaguares at their home ground.
So how did they turn things around?
“We were all extremely disappointed with our performance against the Rebels, obviously, and we felt that we owed something to our fans and to ourselves,” he explains. “We said we needed to work hard for each other and I think we did because it paid off for us.
“Everyone went over [to Buenos Aires] with a good attitude and we got stuck in.”
This Saturday at 3pm we host the Western Force at Growthpoint KINGS PARK and given how tough the Lions found things in their clash with the Australians over the weekend, there can be no underestimating them. The Lions scored a last minute try to give the scoreboard some respectability in their favour, but only led 17-15 until the 79th minute.
“That’s one of the main points for us this week, to see continuous improvement,” van der Walt admits. “The Rebels match was a real hiccup, but our team showed great improvement against the Jaguares and will be looking for even more this weekend.
“We really lifted the intensity in Argentina and we can’t afford to slacken off now. We are definitely focused and now it’s about playing with confidence and enthusiasm.”
Talking regular improvement, it’s not only this weekend, but the next three games that are going to be a real challenge for the Cell C Sharks as we take on the Force, the rejuvenated Kings and a Sunwolves side that defeated the Bulls earlier this season.
“It’s crucial that we play well the next three weeks. We’re in a group where only two teams can go through and we can’t have any slip-ups, so our mindset is not really to focus on any one of those teams but rather on what we achieved this weekend, and more importantly, the way we went about it.
“We want to carry that confidence and motivation through, so whether we’re playing a big or smaller team, we have to have the same focus. Any team in this competition can produce a win on any weekend.”
Consistency is the catchphrase that the players are trying to embrace, although he admits that it hasn’t always been the case.
“We’ve let ourselves down here at Growthpoint KINGS PARK and we owe our fans a big performance. We don’t want to put ourselves under pressure and try create something out of nothing. That’s the main point, to just keep working hard for each other: then those things will happen automatically.”
The post Leading from the Front appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
2016 Fidelity Security Premier Division champions Your Communications College Rovers and the 2016 Castle Murray Cup knockout champions SA Home Loans Durban Collegians are now the only two sides in the league that remain unbeaten as the clubs head into round five this this coming weekend.
Varsity College, without their regular skipper Josh Fourie, had a good away win in Uvongo at Douglas Mitchell Park last Saturday scoring 11 tries to the one by their hosts, Rivermead South Coast Warriors. Certainly they would have found a lot more confidence and belief in their true ability in this outing whilst for the Warriors their plan going forward should really be focused on conditioning and fitness levels as they do have some talented players in their squad.
One thing is for certain what this game truly revealed is the importance of keeping the game alive and well in the country districts. The support from the community plays a huge role in the out lying areas and they sure showed their loyalty to the club game coming out in full support last Saturday in a wonderful afternoon of club rugby camaraderie with Attie Horn from Doug’s Bar and Grill deserving huge accolades for his incredible hospitality to the visitors.
Srumhalf Blake Mingay, centre Willem Rheeder and flyhalf Duran Krummeck crossed for two tries each to lead the victory march while wing Chris Klopper, flank Njabulo Zondi, wings Lindani Ndlela and Conree Poole and Anela Sibhoko coming off the bench. Kummeck, Mingay and Stephan Bothma shared the kicks while flank Chris Mitchell scored the try for South Coast Warriors and flyhalf Jacques Petzer-Moore slotted the conversion.
College Rovers also travelled away up the coast to Richards Bay where they played not only the local club but the whole town itself such was the vocal support from the locals. Richards Bay have certainly upset a few sides this season and although Rovers came away with a comfortable enough 41-20 victory they were made to work hard particularly in the second half.
Leading 36-6 at the break tells it all with The Bay winning the second half 14-5. Rovers did score seven tries in all with former Sharks skipper Keegan Daniels making a welcome return to the game after a long lay off crossing for one of them. Their other tries went to Sipho Mkize, Grant Rattray, Matt Jones, American flyer Duke Makina, Grant Williams and Byron van de Nest with Gavin Scott converting three.
In the other game played last Saturday Mancosa Zululand Rhinos beat their hosts Jaguars 36-26 with the Sydenham based side picking up a valuable log point having scored four tries in the match.
In last weeks midweek games Bidvest Insurance Crusaders drew 19-19 with FNB UKZN Impi at the Peter Booysen Stadium in the capital while Durban Collegians proved beyond doubt that they are one of the favourites to claim the oldest piece of silverware in World Rugby , The Moor Cup, this season with their impressive 36-6 win over eThekwini Refractories Amanzimtoti. Matt Reece-Edwards, Jacques Venter, Jasper Genis, Sibelola Nonto and Devan Laivaux scored the tries for the winners.
On Friday evening Impi host Durban Collegians, Varsity College travel to Toti, Saders are at home to Rhinos and Richards Bay entertain Jaguars. On Saturday Warriors travel into the Midlands to play Newcastle and its Rovers turn to have a bye.
In the First Division games Jaguar Land Rover Durban Hillcrest thumped Harlequins 73-0, Westville beat Durban Mets 48-5 and Ballito Dolphins beat Queenburgh 37-20 while College Rovers hosted the successful second of the Centralised Under 20 fixtures with many the clubs converging on one venue for an evening of rugby. Rovers beat Crusaders 38-7 in their Under 20 ‘A’ Frank Norris Cup game while Varsity College accounted for Jaguars 64-10 and UKZN beat South Coast Warriors 15-10. In the Under 20 ‘B’ Division Rovers beat Crusadres 26-12 and Zululand had the better of Toti winning 19-14.
The most pleasing result out of last weeks games was in the Third Division Walker Cup with the Development Side Kwanto beating Durban Collegians 12-10 and we ask “is this now signs of more good things to come in Transformation?”
The post Club Rugby Roundup appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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