Preview: The Cell C Sharks vs Jaguares – Featured Durban Blog

It’s time for unity, time to unite behind our team in black and white, embracing the Cell C Sharks and our fellow South Africans this Saturday for their first home game of the season at Growthpoint KINGS PARK.

Director of Rugby Gary Gold explains that playing at home is significant for the team and their campaign.

“This home game is important for a number of reasons, but particularly because they’re in our group and one of the teams we are tussling with to be able to qualify.

“It’s also important for us to make our home ground our fortress, to establish Growthpoint KINGS PARK as a tough place to come and play and in the process, to impress our own supporters.

“You also want to get some traction going, to get some wins under the belt.”

Looking at the Jaguares, he warns that his team are preparing for this game as if it were a test match, such is the respect they hold for their Argentine opposition.

“There are 10 to 12 guys who went to a World Cup and were part of the team that reached the semi-final, they’re the real deal,” he pointed out. “They play with real intensity and incredible freedom and they can hurt you from an attack point of view.”

There is no doubt that the Jaguares are a dangerous side and one not likely to lie down and play dead when things go against them. Against the Cheetahs last week, they overhauled a 21 point deficit to win the match after suffering two yellow cards and conceding 17 unanswered points when they were down to 13 men for 10 minutes.

The Jaguares are one of two brand new sides to the competition and the addition of a new country to the tournament brings a new level of excitement, something alluded to by captain Beast Mtawarira who expects a massive clash.

“A good start is important and we need to get stuck in right from the beginning. But we need to remain composed and keep our discipline in a match that will be hugely competitive.”

Another area to be keenly contested will be at scrum-time, this set-piece an important area for both sides.

“It’s always a formidable challenge when you go up against the Argies, they have a real scrumming mentality, but we’re focusing on our processes and on ourselves, we want to make sure we do what we need to and make sure we bring it from our side.”

His coach agrees that ultimately, aside from respecting your opposition, as a team, it’s also what you bring to the table.

“It’s also about what we do with ball in hand; we need to control the game, we need to be masters of our own destiny,” added Gold. “We can’t be constantly concerned with what the opposition is going to do. We are going to have to be clinical in how we execute our plays.”

Older, more experienced players will often refer to the youngsters in the team as the ones bringing energy and excitement, but for the most experienced player in the Cell C Sharks squad, Odwa Ndungane, the excitement levels are just as high.

Given the fact that his team scored six tries against the Kings in their opening Vodacom Super Rugby clash, it appears this could be a good season to be a wing in the Cell C Sharks team.

“I don’t remember when last I scored two tries, and I don’t know if that ever happened in the first game of the tournament, so I’m definitely excited about being a wing,” he explains. “I’m looking to contribute more towards the team’s success.

“We have an exciting year ahead and what makes it extra special is the fact that we have so many exciting youngsters in the squad. In fact we have quite a nice balance with players who have been around.”

No player will ever admit to having fun during the pre-season building phase; this is the toughest time of the year, when hard work builds the foundations for the season ahead. The dreadlocked wing agrees that the excitement levels are high now that the tournament is under way.

“We’ve had quite a tough pre-season and then went away to France and played two hard warm-up games there, so it was good to get our season started, and successfully at that. I think we showed a few highlights of what we’ve been working on; obviously it wasn’t our best performance but we still managed to put some nice phases together. There is still lots to work on, but there’s a bright future ahead.”

For someone who has been with The Sharks for more than a decade, he is an integral part of the team, both on and off the field, although primarily it’s about contributing in a black and white jersey.

“The secret to my longevity, is that first and foremost, for me, it’s a huge blessing. I don’t think I’ve done anything different, I’m just blessed to remain fit and healthy. We do have a good management and medical team and they’ll probably tell you that more than any other player, my body needs a good rub and extra physio! But it does come down to hard work and I’m personally in a good space right now.”

The loss of Patrick Lambie to injury on tour is far from a blessing for the Cell C Sharks, but it does open the door of opportunity to others. And having players ready and able to step up to the plate is vital.

“To be able to compete to the end of this competition, you need quality depth,” Ndungane explains. “It was very unfortunate what happened to Pat, but we have likes of Joe Pietersen, Garth April, Inny-Christian Radebe as cover, and then at fullback you have Willie le Roux, Joe, Garth and even myself and Lwazi Mvovo. I think we are blessed to have this depth.”

And as for a combination of experience and youthful exuberance, the name du Preez pops immediately into consciousness.

Robert is a former Natal and Springbok scrumhalf, and his twin sons Jean-Luc and Daniel are making waves on the field.

“Robert is a quality coach who has played at the highest level and knows what it takes to be successful. And those twins are quite something, I’m really excited to see them grow – they have the potential to go really far. It’s an exciting time for the du Preez family.”