Photo Credit: Speedshots.co.za
The Carling Currie Cup teams will look to start 2021 with a bang as the competition reaches the penultimate pool round on Saturday and every point counts with five teams still in the running for semi-final places. The Cell C Sharks, who are currently in fourth place on the table, will have a point to prove when they host Tafel Lager Griquas in Durban @ 16h30.
The KwaZulu-Natalians come off back-to-back defeats and face the risk of dropping out of the top four if they suffer yet another loss and the Toyota Cheetahs topple DHL Western Province.
They will also be mindful of the fact that that they scraped through by one point in their last encounter against the men from Kimberley for a 34-33 victory in November, while they went down 37-13 against the visitors at Jonsson Kings Park in the competition last year.
The exciting Aphelele Fassi will start at fullback in one of five personnel changes to the Cell C Sharks team.
Cell C Sharks head coach Sean Everitt has once again had to implement changes to his team for Saturday, with the inclusion of Fassi in the No 15 shirt being one of five personnel changes to the side that lost to the Toyota Cheetahs last weekend.
Everitt is loathed to use the COVID-enforced disruptions as an excuse as all the teams are in the same boat. Nevertheless, there can be no denying that being unable to pick the same teams each week plays a big part in continuity.
Three changes to the tight five see Fezokhule Mbatha (hooker), Michael Kumbirai (tighthead prop) and JJ van der Mescht (lock) all being handed starts, with Thembelani Bholi (loose forward) also coming into the starting line-up.
There is just one change at the back, where Fassi takes over from Manie Libbok, who left the field early last weekend after taking a knock, but has recovered sufficiently to be named on the bench.
“We’ve struggled with consistency in our selection due to COVID protocols and with injuries, it’s not ideal changing your team week after week and we’re losing important people as we go along,” said Everitt.
“But that’s a problem all the teams are facing. It’s been frustrating, winning certain aspects of the game like territory and possession, line breaks, the gain-line battle, but we’ve struggled in the set-piece and individual skill error.
“We need to cut out those individual errors so we can put together a complete performance.
“It’s going to be a physical battle against Griquas – as always. We know what we’re going to get from Griquas, they’ll be fired up but we’re a determined group. We’ve set ourselves goals and high standards and I expect our team to bounce back and do well this weekend.”
Tafel Lager Griquas have opted for continuity in selection, with the only change to coach Scott Mathie’s team being the inclusion of former Vodacom Bulls and Toyota Cheetahs utility forward Ewan Coetzee at lock in what marks his first start. He replaces Adre Smith, who has been named among the replacements.
With Mathie yet to decide on his final group of replacements, CJ Conradie (hooker), who is in line to make his Carling Currie Cup debut, Johnathan Francke (centre), Reagan Orange (scrumhalf), and Bandisa Ndlovu (prop) were named among the 10 possible replacements.
The men from Kimberley may be at the foot of the log table, but they have tested the Cell C Sharks to the limit in the past and will enter the match determined to prove that they can win after a number of narrow defeats since the start of the season.
Teams:
Cell C Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Jeremy Ward, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Henco Venter, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JJ van der Mescht, 3 Michael Kumbirai, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Hanru Jacobs, 19 Aston Fortuin, 20 Dylan Richardson, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Anthony Volmink.
Tafel Lager Griquas: 15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Andre Swarts, 11 Enver Brandt, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Zak Burger (captain), 8 Johan Momsen, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Ewan Coetzee, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Alandre van Rooyen, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel. Replacements (from): 16 CJ Conradie, 17 Mox Mxoli, 18 Tijde Visser, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Siba Qoma, 21 Ashlon Davids, 22 Johnathan Francke, 23 Daniel Kasende, 24 Bandisa Ndlovu, 25 Raegan Oranje.