The Cell C Sharks Under 19s can reflect on a very pleasing campaign in the SA Rugby Under 19 Championship after going through the first round of matches unbeaten in the tournament.
Last Friday afternoon’s clash with Golden Lions Under 19s at Moses Mabhida Stadium marked the halfway point of the tournament and they followed up wins over Free State, Western Province and the Blue Bulls with a 25-10 victory over the Golden Lions.
The Cell C Sharks Under 19s we’re full value for their 13-0 lead at the halftime break in a game played in severely windy conditions. Two penalties and a converted try probably didn’t do justice to how well they played and how much they dominated a game Lions side.
With the wind dying down in the second half, it had much less effect which benefited the Cell C Sharks Under 19s. Despite an impressive effort that spoke of their dominance, they battled to break through some resolute defence and it was the Lions who scored the first points of the second half with a penalty.
However, two quick tries saw the home side into a 25-3 lead which proved unassailable and just reward for a truly outstanding effort. Although the visitors managed a late try, the eventual 25-10 victory told a story of dominance and efficiency.
A big plus for the side was the continuity in team selection throughout the campaign. Coach Sean Everitt explained that, “We were very fortunate with regards to injuries and our bye has now come at a good time. After six games in a row, this is a welcome break, an opportunity to review where we are and tweak our goals a bit.”
Speaking of the team’s preseason goals for the tournament, he said: “We wanted to do as well as we could and win as many games as we could in the first round and obviously we’re very happy to have gone six out of six at this stage. But going into the next round unbeaten means we have a bit of a cushion at the top of the league which is important because we expect a tough second round when all the teams and individuals will have improved with game time.
“The competition won’t get any easier, so we’ll have to do some analysis and change a few things to get better in the second round.”
The Cell C Sharks have 27 points, a four-point buffer over the Blue Bulls and Western Province, with a lead of 12 points over the fourth placed Free State side.
They have a bye this weekend before the second round of return leg matches commences when they host Eastern Province at JONSSON KINGS PARK on the 1st September.
The post Well-earned Break appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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