TEAM RELEASE: CHANGING FOCUS – Featured Durban Blog

 

 

 

Changing Focus

The Hollywoodbets Sharks shift their focus away from the Vodacom United Rugby Championship as they now look towards the EPCR Challenge Cup knock-outs and a Round of 16 clash against Zebre Parma Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Sunday.

Lukhanyo Am leads a vastly experienced Hollywoodbets Sharks side for this encounter against the visiting Italians hoping to use the confidence gained from their recent winning form in the URC to take them all the way in the EPCR.

Head coach John Plumtree has largely stuck with the team that defeated Edinburgh last Saturday, as he welcomes back Vincent Koch starts after the Springbok prop was forced to pull out of the last game with a stomach bug. Sadly, Eben Etzebeth sustained a rib injury and isn’t available for the match.

There are returns for Ethan Hooker and Werner Kok to the starting line-up, while Gerbrandt Grobler and Grant Williams both return to the matchday 23.

Plumtree admits that the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ taking a winning feeling into this game following back-to-back URC victories is a real positive for the team.

“That’s a big thing for us, confidence is something you can’t underestimate in sport. We’re working hard, the leaders are keeping everyone grounded and we know what this game means to us.”

This match is not just a knock-out, but the performance offers the opportunity for redemption too.

“We know we’ve let a lot of people down this season and we want to win them back,” the coach adds.

“The only way we can do that is on the field and that’s what we’re trying to do. This is a big game and if we do well, we earn the right to play another one.”

Sunday’s match kicks off at 4pm.

 

Hollywoodbets Sharks

1. Ox Nche
2. Bongi Mbonambi
3. Vincent Koch
4. Corne Rahl
5. Emile van Heerden
6. James Venter
7. Vincent Tshituka
8. Phepsi Buthelezi
9. Jaden Hendrikse
10. Siya Masuku
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Ethan Hooker
13. Lukhanyo Am (C)
14. Werner Kok
15. Aphelele Fassi

Replacements            

1. Kerron van Vuuren
2. Ntuthuko Mchunu
3. Hanro Jacobs
4. Gebrandt Grobler
5. Jeandre Labuschagne
6. Grant Williams
7. Curwin Bosch
8. Francois Venter

 

 

 

 

Playing with Confidence

Hollywoodbets Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi’s Man of the Match performance against Edinburgh in Durban last Saturday earned him tons of praise, but it’s come off the back of a lot of hard work and overcoming challenges.

His last two seasons have been marred by injuries and he’s had to lift himself following one disappointment after the other.

Against Edinburgh, he played with a lot of confidence, freedom and enjoyment and it showed in his outstanding performance on the day.

He credits his form with being in the right physical space after the disappointments of the previous two seasons.

“The most important thing for me is my health and keeping fit,” he admits. “In the past two seasons, injuries got to me and I didn’t get consistency and game time, but this year I’ve played every game and I’m really happy to have been able to play consistently.

“Saturday’s performance was being able to pull out a few tricks and helping to put the team on the front foot where I could.”

Looking back, he explains that he suffered back-to-back injuries and was out for a total of 16 weeks, which was a difficult and testing time for him to endure.

“I played for SA ’A’ and after being injured, was out for 10 weeks, then played three games before breaking my tibia and that was another six weeks out. Then I came back, played three games before the season ended.  After that, the big focus for me was on my recovery and putting a lot of time into that. I had to face reality and worked hard during the pre-season.

“Now, every times I play or train, I feel fresh and strong.”

Coming into this season, staying healthy and injury-free was the big focus.

“Having a full pre-season, setting your goals and identifying strengths and weaknesses, I had the opportunity to work on those things,” he explains.

“I’ve also spent a lot of time with Joey Mongalo working on my defence. It’s the same with my kicking game, bringing in a different dimension to my game and avoiding being predictable. The influence of Joey and Dave Williams in the pre-season and in-season has helped me so much, to vary my game, be it running or kicking.”

Looking ahead to the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 against Zebre, he admits that following the two URC victories, the team is in a good space to tackle the new challenge.

“The squad is very confident after the two victories over Ulster and Edinburgh and coming into a different competition, we know the stakes are different. It’s a knock-out game and we know Zebre will come here with a lot of passion and physicality.

“For us, it’s about managing that and putting our forwards in the right places and once we get those opportunities, knocking them out will be crucial for us.”