The Cell C Sharks Under 20s will contest the semi-finals of the SA Rugby Under 20 Championship, when they travel to Johannesburg to take on the Sigma Lions Under 20s at Emirates Airline Park on Friday.
After leap-frogging the Leopards following their 29-16 victory last week, the Cell C Sharks Under 20s finished the league stage in fourth place, handing them a semi-final contest against the log leaders.
It came down to the result of the final weekend of pool action, but given the challenge of a match that assumed quarter-final proportions, head coach Mike Vowles was pleased with the character and fortitude showed by his team in accepting the challenge and overcoming it.
“We had to work hard for the win and I’m very proud of the guys for the effort they put in and the way they went about their business,” he admitted.
“There was obviously pressure on us to win in order to get into the play-offs and the guys responded really nicely. It was great to get the result and I guess even more pleasing was that there were really good moments in the game and we’re hoping to take confidence from it and put in a big performance this week.”
It’s an exciting week for the Cell C Sharks Under 20s, semi-final time and although they go into this match as under dogs, Vowles said that preparation has been good and they’ll go into the game with guns blazing.
“The Lions have really been good in the competition, but we’ve had a good week and come up with a plan that we think will bring us good reward, so we’re really excited about the opportunity and will make sure we give everything we have.
“We’re in a good place and although this a massive challenge, at the same time it’s a fantastic opportunity, the players are all really excited and we’re ready to go.”
Friday’s match kicks off at 1pm.
Cell C Sharks Under 20s
1. Henko Smuts
2. Jacques Goosen
3. Blaine Golden
4. Corne Rahl
5. Ockie Barnard (c)
6. Jaques Marais
7. Siya Ningiza
8. Renzo du Plessis
9. Bradley Davids
10. Kian Meadon
11. Siviwe Zondani
12. Brandon Wilkie
13. Ethan Fisher
14. Lloyd Koster
15. Matthew Jacobs
Replacements
16. Jordan Mcloughlin
17. Charles Gamhiwa
18. Munashe Mhere
19. Andrew Beyrooti
20. Tiaan Jonker
21. Daimon O’Connell
22. Warrick Day
23. Liqhayiya Gantsho
24. Lathi Nqebe
25. Boomer Bomela
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Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: Provincial Government – The KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial government sits in the legislative buildings in Pietermaritzburg. The site where the legislative buildings are situated was occupied by St Mary’s Church, which was built in the 1860s. A new church was built at the corner of Burger Street and Commercial Road, and opened in 1884. The old building was demolished in 1887 to provide space for the legislative complex. The foundation stone of the new legislative building was laid on 21 June 1887, to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. The building was completed two years later. On 25 April 1889, the Governor of Natal, Sir Arthur Havelock, opened the first Legislative Council session in the new building. When governance was granted to Natal in 1893, the new Legislative Assembly took over the chamber that was used by the Legislative Council since 1889. Further extensions to the parliamentary building were made. The building was unoccupied until 1902, when it was used without being officially opened, due to the fact that the country was engulfed in the Anglo-Boer war. The war also affected the Legislative Assembly, which had to move the venue of its sittings when the chamber was used as a military hospital.
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