The Cell C Sharks XV comfortably beat the Cell C Sharks Club XV 69-0 at the home of Bidvest Insurance Crusaders RFC in Ranleigh Crescent Durban North last Friday evening after leading 42-0 at the break. If anything the Sharks Club XV would have learnt a lot from this outing and in fairness to them they had very little preparation and time with head coach Dusty Noble and his assistant coaches in the build up to the game. There can be no doubt however that they did improve in the second session only allowing the Sharks XV to score another 27 points and one can only hope that coaches Ricardo Loubscher and Paul Anthony got to learn a lot more about their charges, led by Keegan Daniel on the night, before tackling the Vodacom Cup.
Run for MND was launched on the evening, which is a global charity event for the Doddie Gump Foundation. Doddie Weir the former Scottish International announced in June last year that he had been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease and like the late Joost van de Westhuysen has created a charity for research into the dreaded disease, which seems to be appearing more and more frequently.
Doddie has taken over the mantle from Joost and former All Black skipper Richie McCaw will be looking after the charity in New Zealand, Scottish legendary fullback Gavin Hastings in Scotland, the brilliant Irish centre John O’Driscoll in Ireland and here in South Africa Doddie’s long time friend and former Scottish and Springbok hooker John Allan.
With all that in mind we can rally to the cause and collect our tartan band on Sunday at 8am at the Northlands Crusaders Sports Club in Ranleigh Crescent Durban North. An entry fee for over 18’s of a minimum of R100 and R50 for scholars will go a long way in helping a great cause. For further information contact Nadine at 031-576 9600 or email her on Nadine@gameoncard.co.za
The entry fee for charity will give a Cashback World and Sharks Water Bottle a snack and an entry for an opportunity of a boat cruise on the Spirit of eLan for 20 people. The rugby world have come together not only for Doddie Weir but past players like our very own Ryan Walker and Danny Delport so this is truly for a worthy cause.
The final of the Flya Club Rugby Knockout competition between SA Home Loans Durban Collegians and eThekwini Refractories Amanzimtoti takes place on Friday evening at Crusaders the kick off scheduled for 8,30pm. The full program for the evening sees Crusades hosting College Rovers in the opening game on the ‘A’ Field starting at 7pm while on the ‘B’ Field Durban Collegians second stringers face UKZN Pietermaritzburg at 6.30pm and College Rovers 2nd XV face Varsity College at 8pm
In the Fidelity ADT First Division 2017 champions Jaguar Land Rover Durban Hillcrest got their 2018 campaign off on a winning note beating Jaguars 45-10 while up the North Coast Ballito Dolphins also got their season off on a positive note accounting for M,aritzburg Collegians 33-7′ UKZN beat Durban Mets 33-21 in a pre-season friendly.
FNB UKZN Impi edged out CPUT 34-28 in a hard fought Varsity Shield game at the Peter Booysen Stadium in the capital last Monday evening. It was good result for the local students after disappointingly going down 12-8 to Walter Sisulu University last week, Impi will travel to East London to face Walter Sisulu University once again next Monday
The Under 20 leagues are well on the way and in the games played on the weekend College Rovers beat South Coast Warriors 29-0, Varsity College accounted for Midlands with a comfortable 45-0 victory and UKZN beat Crusaders 21-13.
On Tuesday 27 March the monthly Locker Room eye2eye with John Allan comes to you in association with The Riverside Hotel Convention Centre, the Mount Vernon Wine Estate, presenting their Rhino Tears range, and GameOn Card in a completely different format with a wine tasting fund raiser for the Thula Thula Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre What makes this event special is the love of rugby wine and wildlife with former Natal prop Dave ‘Shorts’ Hooper with his son John who own Mount Vernon working with wine specialist Roz Hankinson wife of former Natal hooker Rob Hankinson. Francoise Anthony widow of the Lawrence Anthony aka the Elephant Whisperer will also be on hand to discuss her book An Elephant in my Kitchen, which is scheduled to be launched in this country in September
Lawrence Anthony actually played rugby for Rovers back in the day much to his widows surprise and its fitting that the College Rovers Rugby Club will be the brand ambassadors for the Thula Thula Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre this year. For further information once again contact Nadine at 031-576 9600.
The post WEDNESDAY COLUMN CLUB RUGBY appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
The Cell C Sharks are targeting an effective start to the Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Rebels in the second match on tour when they taken on Australia’s top side on Friday.
Head coach Robert du Preez identified a slow start to our match against the Brumbies on Saturday as a problem area to resolve when we take on the Rebels in Melbourne.
“It’s a difficult one, we started badly and gave away too many penalties in the first few minutes against the Brumbies, and that meant we simply couldn’t get any momentum going,” he explained from Australia. Coupled with that, we never got possession which meant we were always on the back foot.
“As a team you have to fight back from those setbacks to get into the game. The Brumbies are a very good team and although they had lost two games, they were back at home with a huge point to prove and get their campaign on track. It was a really tough day at the office.”
It goes without saying that the coach will be looking for a strong start from his charges against the Rebels on Friday.
“It’s an absolute priority to start well against these guys, I have no doubt that if we do start well and we get on a roll, we will be difficult to stop,” he said. “I’m quietly confident that it will be a good evening.”
There are no major injury issues, and although there is a blow in the midfield, there is capable back-up.
“We have a couple of niggles, Andre Esterhuizen is out this weekend with an ankle sprain, but Marius Louw is an able replacement, while Beast Mtawarira will be back for the game,” he confirmed.
“That’s rugby, I guess. Injuries are part and parcel of the sport, but we have depth in the squad to deal with those concerns.”
In other changes, Wian Vosloo shifts to the bench with Jacques Vermeulen taking his place, to accommodate Jean-Luc du Preez who returns to the starting line-up.
Both changes amongst the backs are at wing, Lwazi Mvovo replacing Makazole Mapimpi on the left wing, while Sbu Nkosi is back, in place of Kobus van Wyk on the right wing.
Despite last week’s loss, Friday presents a real opportunity to right the ship and the team is well aware of that, and excited at the challenge that lies ahead.
“This team is a team with a lot of character,” the coach admitted. “Vodacom Super Rugby is a tough competition so you have to take the good with the bad and move on from disappointment, which we have.
“There’s really a good feeling and energy in the camp, our preparation has been on target, although it has been a short turnaround for us, given that the two games are only six days apart and we also have to factor in travel.
“But the spirit amongst the team members is high.”
| Cell C Sharks | Replacements |
| 1. Tendai Mtawarira | 16. Franco Marais |
| 2. Akker van der Merwe | 17. Juan Schoeman |
| 3. Thomas du Toit | 18. John-Hubert Meyer |
| 4. Ruan Botha (Captain) | 19. Hyron Andrews |
| 5. Stephan Lewies | 20. Wian Vosloo |
| 6. Jacques Vermeulen | 21. Cameron Wright |
| 7. Jean-Luc du Preez | 22. Kobus van Wyk |
| 8. Tera Mtembu | 23. Garth April |
| 9. Louis Schreuder | |
| 10. Robert du Preez | |
| 11. Lwazi Mvovo | |
| 12. Marius Louw | |
| 13. Lukhanyo Am | |
| 14. Sbu Nkosi | |
| 15. Curwin Bosch |
The post Aiming for a strong start appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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