Rugby news from KwaZulu-Natal:
Continuity for the Cell C Sharks:
The 126th anniversary of the first staging of the Currie Cup competition winds towards a climax as four teams go head to head in this year’s semi-finals, with the Cell C Sharks hosting the Xerox Golden Lions at JONSSON KINGS PARK on Saturday.
After finishing second on the overall log, the Cell C Sharks earned the honour of a home semi-final where we host the Golden Lions who finished in third spot on the log. Eventual log leaders, Western Province, will host the Blue Bulls in the second semi-final.
Since the inaugural season in 1892, seven teams have won the competition, with the Cell C Sharks taking the title seven times, the most recent, a 2013 victory over Western Province in Cape Town.
Steeped in tradition, the Currie Cup has a proud history. In recent times, the Cell C Sharks have been prolific winners, having taken the title seven times since that historic 18-12 win over Northern Transvaal (now the Blue Bulls) in 1990. Interestingly, the Bulls have also won the title seven times since that year, sharing it once with Free State. Western Province with six and the Lions with five trail behind. Free State, with three titles (one shared) are the fifth team to have won titles over the last 27 years.
But all that history is behind us as the Cell C Sharks prepare for a Golden Lions side that last left Durban off the back of a 37-21 defeat at JONSSON KINGS PARK. Almost a month (to the day) later, the Lions return for a mouth-watering semi-final fixture.
Head coach Robert du Preez has stuck largely with the side he named last week. After being named to start against Griquas but then pulling out late, Thomas du Toit and Daniel du Preez return in the tighthead prop and eighthman positions respectively.
Marius Louw is back at inside centre and Robert du Preez returns to the flyhalf position, with Curwin Bosch reverting back to fullback.
The Lions lost just two matches of their six fixtures, to the Cell C Sharks and a week earlier, going down 65-38 to Western Province in Cape Town. They however welcome back a number of Springboks and will look back at that result as a speed wobble rather than a catastrophic event.
All in all which makes for an enticing encounter between two great sides
The Cell C Sharks
- Juan Schoeman
- Akker van der Merwe
- Thomas du Toit
- Gideon Koegelenberg
- Hyron Andrews
- Jacques Vermeulen
- Tyler Paul
- Daniel du Preez
- Louis Schreuder (C)
- Robert du Preez
- Lwazi Mvovo
- Marius Louw
- Jeremy Ward
- Sbu Nkosi
- Curwin Bosch
Replacements
- Chiliboy Ralepelle
- Mzamo Majola
- Coenie Oosthuizen
- Luke Stringer
- Jean-Luc du Preez
- Cameron Wright
- Leolin Zas
- Aphelele Fassi
The post Continuity for the Cell C Sharks appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
Knock-out Time:
The Cell C Sharks Under 19s will host their Western Province counterparts in the SA Under 19 Championship semi-final at JONSSON KINGS PARK on Saturday looking to maintain their unbeaten ways.
This team has performed consistently and successfully all season and the reward for finishing top, undefeated through 12 rounds of the pool stages, is a home semi-final, the first for a Sharks Under 19 team since 2008.
Testament to the team’s attacking prowess was the fact that they scored a total of 84 tries throughout the regular season, averaging seven per game and recording the biggest win in the competition’s history by beating the EP Kings 134 – 7.
Head coach Sean Everitt believes that his team have the ability to put on a winning performance judging by the development the side has enjoyed over the course of the season.
“We wanted to achieve a lot more out of this season than only semis and finals, and that was for the players to improve and to have a good time and enjoy themselves while they were training hard,” he explains. “I think we’ve achieved that.
“Another goal was to improve every week and the guys have certainly put in the effort to tick that box.”
Two tough matches in the pool stages against Western Province heralded 25-23 and 39-31 wins home and away, with the Cell C Sharks Under 19s being tested all the way.
“Province have probably been our toughest opponents so far in the competition,” Everitt explains. “We kicked a penalty late in the game to win in the first round and had to catch-up in the second game. So we know that they’re a good team, well coached and we’re going to have to be on top of our game to beat them.
“In saying that, we are a difficult side to play against, our guys show a lot of character and when we get it wrong defensively, the guys scramble well. And we have some x-factor players.
Everitt has once more had the good fortune of not having to make any enforced changes and goes into this side with an unchanged starting line-up.
“If you look at successful teams, they’ve kept their starting line-up unchanged for at least 80% of the time,” he explains. “Injuries fortunately haven’t been a major issue for us, the players have looked after themselves and been looked after. Coupled with that, the guys have put in consistently good performances so we haven’t had to make many personnel changes throughout the season.
“We need a total team performance. We have set ourselves standards, we have learned a lot along the way and I believe we’ll get exactly what we expect from the team.”
The match kicks off at 12 noon as the curtain-raiser to the Cell C Sharks Currie Cup semi-final against the Xerox Golden Lions (at 2.30pm).
Cell C Sharks Under 19s
- James Scott
- Fezokuhle Mbatha
- Francois Klopper
- Lappies Labuschagne
- JJ van der Mescht
- Vian Fourie
- Dylan Richardson
- Phepsi Buthelezi (Capt)
- Sanele Nohamba
- Henry Chamberlain
- Asanda Kunene
- Murray Koster
- Muller du Plessis
- Caleb Dingaan
- Thaakir Abrahams
Replacements
- Cole Haggard
- Charles Staples
- Dre Engelbrecht
- Ignacio Vidal
- Adam Mountford
- Matthew Doyle
- Le Roux Malan
- DJ Falconer
The post Knock-out Time appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
DHL WP change four for DHL Newlands semifinal
