In the absence of Cell C Sharks stalwart Beast Mtawarira to injury, Juan Schoeman has been called upon to step up to the plate and he has delivered when asked to.
Although Beast is a household name in KZN, South Africa and internationally, it doesn’t mean that other players – like Schoeman – can’t look to both impress and stake a claim to the vital loosehead prop position.
At the start of the season, the Cell C Shark scrum battled to gain ascendancy, but as the season has progressed, and with Schoeman making an impact off the bench initially and lately as the starting loosehead, so our scrum has been in excellent form.
“I’ve been very fortunate to play behind a guy like Beast, he has a lot of experience and one can learn a lot from a player like him,” Schoeman explains.
“It’s also important to take every opportunity you get and use it to your full potential and give it your very best. I’ve been fortunate to get a lot of opportunities this year.”
Analysing the improvement in the scrum, he points out that it’s both an individual and collective thing.
“Our focus is on weekly improvement, all eight [in the pack] have to scrum together and it’s something we work hard on all the time.
“It’s important that every guy in the scrum – all eight of us – work hard and scrum with power. Technique as a group is also important, and if each one of us can bring the right technique, power and attitude on the day, then we will hopefully go forward.”
The Cell C Sharks enjoyed a much-needed bye after a long run without a break, but are now raring to get stuck into the remaining games of the pool stages.
“The rest came at a great time, the guys came back to training recharged and we’re looking forward to the next seven games, having already played nine,” he says. “Every game from now on is important, starting this week with the Highlanders and we’ll look to prepare for this game as best we can.”
Casting his eye on this week’s opponents, he admits that like his own team, the New Zealanders will be looking to make improvements this week.
“The Bulls and Highlanders game was a tough one, the Highlanders came back and although they only had 30% possession, they still managed to win the game in the 81st minute.
“With New Zealand teams, it’s never over until it’s over, especially in the last few minutes. So the final 20 minutes of the game are going to be very important.”
This year’s Vodacom Super Rugby tournament has not always followed the traditional script, with teams winning when they’re expected to lose, and vice versa. And the turnaround from one poor performance to a good one is a matter of days, rather than weeks.
“The competition has been a strange one in 2018, one week a team loses badly, making lots of mistakes, but then fixes it and wins the next game. The Highlanders’ scrum is something they will look to work on this week and we expect a much different picture this weekend.
“Also, their defence is very good so we’re going to have to make sure we keep the ball and maintain possession, that’s going to be very important.”
The post Stepping Up appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
College Rovers remain the only unbeaten side in the Fidelity ADT Premier Division and head up the log table after a tough but resounding victory over Bidvest Insurance Crusaders, beating their hosts 38-3, in Durban North last Thursday evening.
The game played in windy damp conditions certainly didn’t allow for the best of running rugby with the young Crusaders side showing great heart against a vastly more experienced Rovers line up. Leading 21-0 at the break it didn’t take Rovers long to secure their bonus point early in the second half as they went on to score six tries in the game.
There can be no doubt that Crusaders have improved quite substantially this year but a lack of discipline let them down badly on the evening and if anything they would have learnt from this game and were brought back down to earth after their two winning opening rounds. As that famous saying by former Springbok flyhalf Naas Botha goes “The cup is not won in May.” For the Durban North club, never the less, should come back a stronger and wiser side for their next big outing against Varsity College, who had edged out SA Home Loans Durban Collegians 16-14 last Thursday, on Friday evening.
Rovers certainly look a very solid outfit and although not at their peak just yet produced some wonderful rugby on the evening with centre Brandon Bailing opening the six try spree for the first touch down. Their other tries went to their vastly improved hooker Cullen Collopy, lock Chris van Leeuwen, flank Ray Williams, wing Alcino Isaacs and the try of the match from flank Jason Kankowski, which would have made his dad, former Eastern Province flyer Tino Kankowski proud. Menzi Ngidi (3) and Andy Huysamen (1) were successful with four conversions between them..
Across at Riverside Varsity College against all odds beat their visitors from across the Umgeni Durban Collegians in a bruising closely contested game that saw Collegians losing their third game I a row, which is truly unheard of. From reports Collegians actually controlled the line outs and varsity College struggled in the scrums, particularly in the first half. Man of the Match scrum half Josh Fourie now finding his form kicked thee penalties and a conversion for 11 of his sides winning 16 points.
It was a game that Collegians perhaps should never have lost and there can be no doubt that they are really going to have to dig deep to recover from this, possibly their worst period in their incredible rugby winning history and for the second week in a row losing the game almost on time. They have a bye this weekend and will have time to regroup.
eThekwini Refractories Amanzimtoti are back on their winning ways beating FNB UKZN Maritzburg 31-17 and will host Richards Bay next Friday. while the students will travel to KP 3 to meet the front runners in the league, College Rovers, on Friday evening
Land Rover Durban Hillcrest lead the way in First Division even though they had a bye in the last round, which saw Maritzburg Collegians beat Durban Mets at Woodburn and Ballito Dolphins account for Zululand Rhinos in Empangeni. In the other two games Westville beat UKZN Durban 17-10 and South Coast Warriors victorious over Jaguars winning 33-5
On Friday evening Warriors will host U8KZN Durban, Westville are at home to Ballito Dolphins and Zululand Rhinos travel to Shongweni to face Hillcrest.
The post Upsets and improvements appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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