Preview: Cell C Sharks vs Emirates Lions:
The Cell C Sharks welcome the Emirates Lions to Hollywoodbets Kings Park this evening as Vodacom United Rugby Championship rugby returns after a two week break.
With some of the teams having reached the halfway point of their pool commitments, the Cell C Sharks, with two matches postponed, have everything to play for.
The Emirates Lions come to Durban full of confidence following a successful run of form lately. However, they can’t expect the opposite from a Sharks’ side that has won home and away in tough conditions over the last three weeks.
“After two good games in the EPCR competition, we’d really love to keep that momentum and flow going,” explained Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell.
“Although every game is important for us, home games are especially so.”
His expectations are straight-forward: that the team pitches up, matches (or betters) their opponents, and everyone fulfils the role assigned to him.
“We judge the guys on effort and how they do their jobs, and that’s what we’re expecting them to deliver. This is going to be a very physical game, we see that from the forwards the Lions have selected, so we have to make sure we’re ready for that physical battle.
“We expect the guys to bring massive effort and energy, and doing their jobs on the field is crucially important.”
The changes to the team reflect the importance of player welfare as those with a heavy workload have a respite of sorts this weekend.
“The changes were part of our rotational policy as well as giving some of the players a bit of a break,” Powell explained. “For instance, if you look at Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth’s game time over the last few months – for both the Cell C Sharks and South Africa – it’s crucial that we manage them well.
“We’re currently in a block of playing 11 consecutive games, this is our fifth with another six to come and it’s important that we manage our squad well to get through these 11 weeks. So it’s an ideal opportunity to give Eben a break and play Siya off the bench.”
While it has been a testing time in recent weeks for the Cell C Sharks as far as rugby and travel commitments go, they are back home and there is an air of confidence around the team as they look to finish off the year on a high.
“The travel was tough, also trying to give the guys enough recovery after playing Friday, back on Monday and training on Tuesday and then play on Friday. So we’ve had a short week.
“But the guys that are coming in and have an opportunity now will bring that extra energy for us and we’re looking forward to seeing how they go. The Lions haven’t had as much travel as us and for that reason we wanted to select the team that gives us the best energy for this game.”
Tonight’s match kicks off at 5pm.
The post Preview: Cell C Sharks vs Emirates Lions appeared first on The Sharks.
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Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: Durban is one of the most significant repositories for Art-Deco architecture in the world. Art-Deco is an architecture and design style which has its origins in Paris in the first decades of the 20th century. Art-Deco follows an ornamental and lavish style, and is characterised by stepped forms, curves, geometric designs, and motifs. Durban – a developing and emerging city at that time – embraced this radical new design. Art-Deco buildings can be seen all around the city, most notably on the Victoria Embankment, in the City Centre, and on the Berea Ridge.
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