The Cell C Sharks host Edinburgh at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday evening in a Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash that has an important bearing on the fight for log positions.
A win over the fifth-placed Edinburgh would see the Cell C Sharks leap-frog the Scottish outfit and take them to within one victory of the top four – all of whom have played an extra game.
The Cell C Sharks will be looking to take the momentum of the four bonus point victories on the trot into this match against a side with a similar record to themselves. Having played 13 games to the Durban side’s 12, both sides have seven wins and a draw, with Edinburgh having lost one extra game. Bonus points are all that separate the two teams currently fifth and sixth on the log.
A fifth straight victory, and in doing so maintaining an outstanding home record at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, would do the team’s aspirations and ambitions absolutely no harm whatsoever.
As expected after a run of such good form, Cell C Sharks head coach Sean Everitt has stuck with the same team as last week aside from two changes.
Springbok Ox Nche is welcomed back after missing last week’s game with his capable replacement Ntuthuko Mchunu reverting to the bench, while the second change at fullback is injury-enforced, Anthony Volmink coming in for Aphelele Fassi who left the field against Zebre last week with an ankle injury.
Everitt has addressed the European rugby focus on set-piece and forward domination with a five-two split on the bench, bringing in Carling Currie Cup captain James Venter to bolster the stocks.
Saturday evening’s match kicks off at 5.05pm.
Cell C Sharks
1. Ox Nche
2. Bongi Mbonambi
3. Thomas du Toit (v/c)
4. Gerbrandt Grobler
5. Reniel Hugo
6. Siya Kolisi (c)
7. Henco Venter
8. Sikhumbuzo Notshe
9. Grant Williams
10. Curwin Bosch
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Marius Louw
13. Ben Tapuia
14. Werner Kok
15. Anthony Volmink
Replacements
16. Kerron van Vuuren
17. Ntuthuko Mchunu
18. Khuta Mchunu
19. Le Roux Roets
20. Phepsi Buthelezi
21. James Venter
22. Jaden Hendrikse
23. Boeta Chamberlain
The post Seeking a Straight Fifth appeared first on The Sharks.
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Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: Zulu Monarch – KwaZulu-Natal, as the name may suggest, is also the home to the Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. Although not holding any direct political power, the Zulu king is provided a stipend by the government, and holds considerable sway over more traditionalist Zulu people in the province. To date, the Zulu king has thirteen wives. Traditionally, each year a ceremony is performed in which the king receives another wife. The current King has kept this ceremony, called the “Reed Dance”, but not chosen a wife, instead using the ceremony to promote abstinence until marriage, as a way of preserving Zulu culture and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
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