The Sharks Club XV take on The Platteland Club XV:
The annual SARU Provincial Club Tournament has been cancelled this year. However, in an effort to retain the passion and interest amongst club players, the KZNRU have organised a fixture against the KZN Platteland Club XV.
The Sharks Club XV, which is made up of club players from in and around Durban, were in the final against the Blue Bulls Club XV at Loftus Versveld in 2015. Then, in 2016, they went on to win their section before taking the overall honours in Kimberley. The Sharks Club XV beat the Griquas 43-24 in the final, and the victory was even more special for the team as they got to do a lap of honour to celebrate their achievement at a Currie Cup game at GROWTHPOINT KINGS PARK. Given their success, it’s encouraging for The Sharks Club XV players to aspire to recreate this victory in 2017.
The Platteland Club XV, which is made up of clubs from Northern KZN, Zululand and Southern KZN, have also done well in their recent competitions. They even managed to beat the more fancied Provincial Club XV and, over the years, have made it to three finals.
Centre, Brandon Bailing, who is part of the team, had the honour of making his Currie Cup debut for the Cell C Sharks in 2017. In addition to this, Dylan Marcus, Adam Wessels and Royale Mwale were also given the opportunity to play locally and overseas. So, there is no doubt that representing your province’s club rugby side gives players a better opportunity to further their careers.
The game scheduled to take place on the 14th of October brings together a variety of teams from the local clubs. This opportunity gives players the chance to express themselves at a higher level and encourages them to continue with the game in the hope of achieving greater rugby success.
| Sharks Club XV | |
| Forwards | |
| Brad Lange | Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti |
| Chris De Beer | Varsity College |
| Curtleigh Johnson | Bidvest Insurance Crusaders |
| Danny Stokes | Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti |
| Denham Fosteras | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Ettiene Ries | Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti |
| Fanele Zwane | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Francois v Zyl | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Jason De Broise | Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti |
| Jonathan Deighton | Land Rover Durban Hillcrest Villagers |
| Kevin Buck | Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti |
| Lungelo Mthethwa | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Mike Uppink | Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti |
| Moses Mapande | Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti |
| Ray September | Varsity College |
| Rodger Zondi | Varsity College |
| Wade Elliott D | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Backs | |
| Malcolm Cele | Varsity College |
| Andrew Holland | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Blake Mingay | Varsity College |
| Chad Fisher | Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti |
| Divan Fick | Bidvest Insurance Crusaders |
| Henkie Groenewald | Land Rover Durban Hillcrest Villagers |
| Jacques Venter | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Jasper Genis | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Josh Fourie | Varsity College |
| Merlyn Pieterse | Bidvest Insurance Crusaders |
| Selvan White | Bidvest Insurance Crusaders |
| Simba Kubate | SA Home Loans Durban Collegians |
| Spa Dube | Bidvest Insurance Crusaders |
| Tony Botha | Varsity College |
| Management/Coaching Staff | |
| Head Coach | Jacques Dean ( SA Home Loans Durban Collegians ) |
| Ass Coach | Dusty Noble ( Bidvest Insurance Crusaders ) |
| Ass Coach | Kevin van Rensburg ( Ethekweni Refractories Amanzimtoti ) |
| Manager | Sabelo Nkosi ( UKZN Durban ) |
| Biokineticest | Nosipho Mkhwanazi ( UKZN Durban ) |
| Physio | Sumeshen Moodley ( SA Home Loans Durban Collegians ) |
| Convenor/Organiser | Juno Fourie ( DRSU President ) |
| The Platteland Club XV | |
| Forwards | |
| Adriaan Koorts | Newcastle Highlanders |
| Blessing Dlozi | Mancosa Empangeni Rhinos |
| Damian May | South Coast Warriors |
| Danie Vermaak | SENTRAAL |
| Jason Kashula | Kapaailand |
| Juan v Berg | South Coast Warriors |
| Jurie Huyser | Vryheid |
| Khumbu Khoza | Vryheid |
| Lourens Stapelberg | South Coast Warriors |
| Mthoko Nkwayane | Newcastle Highlanders |
| Stefan Hall | Pongola |
| Tian Malherbe | South Coast Warriors |
| Waldo Herbst | SENTRAAL |
| Wandile Sibiya | Newcastle Highlanders |
| Wessel Botha | Newcastle Highlanders |
| Backs | |
| Charles Dube | Sentraal |
| Gift Mabaso | Newcastle Highlanders |
| Greg Clasen | South Coast Warriors |
| Jaques P Moore | South Coast Warriors |
| Jayden Onckers | South Coast Warriors |
| Jors Danhauser | Mancosa Emangeni Rhinos |
| Juan Els | Volksrust |
| Klippies Pretorius | Kapaailand |
| Max Mkhize | Newcastle Highlanders |
| Nico Smuts | South Coast Warriors |
| Sidney Coetsee | Mancosa Empangeni Rhinos |
| Sipho Dungwa | Kapaailand |
| Thokozani Mduli | Mancosa Emangeni Rhinos |
The post The Sharks Club XV take on The Platteland Club XV appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
In the picture with the old Community Cup which was last won by College Rovers in 2012 before the introduction of the magnificent Gold Cup are from left to right Thierry Kaute Kounga, Mark Richards, Thinus Volker, Coach Derek Heiberg and Skipper Chris Jordaan.
The opening round of the National Club Championship for the Gold Cup sees the 2016 champions Newrak Rustenburg Impala at home to Recall Security Bloemfontein Police while the runners up Direct Axis False Bay will entertain Roses United. With all to play for one would immediately look to these two sides to meet again in this years final but in competitions like this the unexpected can easily happen so its not that easy to really predict which way the competition will pan out.
Raiders from the Golden Lions and local side Go Nutz College Rovers will be the first two sides to be starting their respective campaigns outside our borders with Rovers leaving for Namibia Friday to face Western Suburbs in the beautiful town of Windhoek, while Raiders head off to Harare to play the Zimbabwean Champions Old Georgians.
Rovers have possibly one of the more difficult Pools to play in with the amount of travelling that they will have to endure. The two time champions who have played in five finals and came close to becoming the first club in KZN to win three championship titles and the Gold Cup in 2013 were edged out by Despatch with a last gasp penalty by Monty Dumond right on time. They did however get to keep the SARU National Club Champions Trophy becoming the last club to win the cup after beating Pretoria Police in the 2012 final.
Raiders will be up against an unknown quantity and will want to avoid the heartache that SA Home Loans Durban Collegians suffered last year with some questionable refereeing decisions. Raiders the Golden Lions Champions from Roodeport have had one of their better seasons this year and should more than hold their own against a side that doesn’t lie down and plays with dogged determination.
Its The KZNRU Fidelity Security Premier Division champions, however, that will be travelling into more of an uncharted territory as the little known club they face is a relatively young establishment by modern day standards having only been founded in 1979. Here they will catch up with Darryl del la Harpe who played a lot of his rugby here in Durban a few years back.
The two wildcards have been afforded home games to kick off their campaigns with Tygerburg hosting Progress Utenhague, while Swallows will be at home to Border Champions Mike Pendock Motors Old Selbornians with a number of their campaigners from last years competition back to do battle again including Rovers Old Boy Shane Spring together with Craig Green and Josh Basingwaithe.
In the other games Speedy Car Sales Vaal Reefs face Northam Platinum Rhinos on their home grounds and Human Auto Welkom Rugby Club entertain Sasol Hydra Arc Rugby. Sishen, Progress George, Quins Bobbies RFC and Vereeniging all have byes and will start their respective championship campaigns next week.
The post WEDNESDAY COLUMN CLUB RUGBY appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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