The Cell C Sharks have taken a lot of heart out of their 25-10 Vodacom United Rugby Championship victory over Ospreys at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Friday evening.
It was a case of wearing down the opposition in a physically dominating performance in a tight first half, and then running away with the win later in the game.
Reflecting on the victory, Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell admitted that, “It was not an easy week and we knew that this game wouldn’t be easy because of that, as well as the fact that it was a short week. We played on Sunday, had to get the guys recovered and train for a Friday night game, so a short turn around also made it difficult.
“So it was a tough week, but a much-needed result for us looking forward to the next few weeks and what we want to achieve. We took a bit of confidence and a good result from this game.”
In terms of the performance, Powell admitted that, “Everyone who knows me, knows that it’s not just about the result for me, it’s also the way we play, the effort we put in and how we execute the plan, and how we we do in our individual roles and responsibilities.
“I think we can definitely make a step up there. But there was some good effort, some dominance – especially in the first half – where we had scrum dominance. There were lots of positives, but there are also things that we can do a lot better and make sure we get it right for next weekend.”
In the latter parts of the game, the Cell C Sharks took the result away, but it was more about what that renewed vigour and success delivers in the bigger scheme.
“It’s about taking small steps forward and confidence has a big part to play, so hopefully we can build on this foundation in terms of the confidence and momentum we got towards the end of the game,” Powell admitted.
He added that the role, availability and effort of the returning Springboks is a major boost for his side.
“It’s always good to get those big names back, one of the factors that might have contributed to the stop start nature and too many mistakes was the fact that there were a lot of changes to the side and we all know that when you make so many changes to a team, they might not have the synergy you want.
“Going into this week, we’ll try to keep the changes to a minimum and make sure we take the flow and momentum into this week and then the weekend.”
Returning from injury, there was a master class from flyhalf and Vodacom Man of the Match Curwin Bosch which Powell felt played a crucial role, not only in the result but for the player himself.
“You could see that Curwin hadn’t played in a while, perhaps a bit rusty in that first half, but his confidence grew as the match went on and it showed. It’s great to have him back after a long injury and hopefully he will just build on that performance and fire on all cylinders this weekend.”
The URC takes a short breather as the Heineken Champions Cup kicks off this weekend, with the Cell C Sharks hosting English club side Harlequins at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday (3pm kick-off) in their first appearance in the competition.
“We’re looking forward to this, a totally different level, somewhere between URC and test match rugby and everyone is really excited to get stuck in. It’s going to be a tough challenge, Harlequins are a quality side who play a good brand of rugby, but it’s a challenge we’re looking forward to.”
The post Taking Confidence from a Win appeared first on The Sharks.
The Cell C Sharks led from start to finish as they saw off the visiting Ospreys 25-10 in a tough Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Friday evening.
The Welsh found themselves under the cosh early, good lineout competing and pressure at scrum time saw the Cell C Sharks gain the advantage that saw them exact the first points of the game, Curwin Bosch, back from a long stint on the injury list, converting a penalty just outside the opening 10 minutes of the game.
The second penalty came shy of the 20th minute, a powerful Cell C Sharks scrum pushing the Ospreys’ forwards off their put-in and Bosch was once again on target to double the score to six-nil.
Showing great energy and intensity, the Cell C Sharks kept their hold on the game and dictated the pace but some brave defence – and that’s what the visitors were reduced to – prevented any further score.
Despite seeing so little of the ball in the first half, it was Ospreys who struck first after half-time, scoring the first try of the match, in the corner, after a sustained build-up. The touchline conversion went wide as the Welsh could not take the lead.
Their jubilation was short-lived as the Cell C Sharks struck back almost immediately, taking the attack into the 22 and then a strong driving maul was finished off by Sikhumbuzo Notshe in the second effort to restore the six point lead with half an hour remaining.
Ospreys scored their second try with a quarter hour of the game left to play, a strong maul effort following a scrum penalty getting the rewards as they took the game to within one point, but the missed conversion meant the Cell C Sharks continued to enjoy the lead.
With less than five minutes remaining, the six point lead was once again restored, Curwin Bosch scything through the defence at pace following a series of pick and drives from the forwards that sucked in the defence and afforded the backline the space to manoeuvre.
Bosch converted his try to push the lead to a crucial eight point margin and beyond a single score for the visitors.
James Venter put the game out of doubt has he powered his way over in the last act of the game, a penalty kicked to touch before the forwards did their job of wearing down the opposition’s defence.
Vodacom Man of the Match Curwin Bosch converted to round off an emphatic victory.
Captain Phepsi Buthelezi paid tribute to the crowd that came out in support, admitted that the team felt the energy.
The post A Win at Home appeared first on The Sharks.
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Have you tried: Travelling to South Africa?
Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: From the beautiful buildings of yesteryear, to Durban’s brand new architectural icon – Moses Mabhdia Stadium. Built for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, the stadium was designed by German firm, GMP Architekten. Named for the former secretary general of the South African Communist Party, the stadium boasts state-of-the-art technology which maximizes light, protects spectators from wind, and still allows a free view outwards. Situated on a raised platform to enhance its visibility, the stadium can be seen from as far away as Ushaka Marine World. The iconic arch houses a skycar which gives unparalleled views of the city and coastline.
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