The Cell C Sharks closed out the pool stages with a 59-14 victory over the Leopards last weekend to secure top spot on the log and a season where they went unbeaten all tournament, winning all but one of their games – a draw with the Lions.
“To play in the final, at home, is something very special,” head coach JP Pietersen admitted on the eve of the match.
“It’s a massive achievement for this group of 19 and 20-year-olds, who just continued to grow as the season went on.”
After beating the Bulls 29-7 in the pool match in early March, also at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, the pair will face off in this exciting final.
“The Bulls will bring a different side to the one we played in the pool stages, but we know what to expect: the physicality, the set-piece dominance and that is where we will need to front up.
“it’s going to be a great challenge for us and we expect it to be a good final.”
Cell C Sharks u/20: 15. Hakeem Kunene, 14. Banie Britz, 13. Ryan Manuel, 12. Ethan Hooker (c), 11. Spha Ngcobo, 10. Jean Smith, 9. Christian Els, 8. Jannes Potgieter, 7. Meno Barnard, 6. Mandisi Nkutha, 5. Luca Ribbens, 4. Coetzee Le Roux, 3. Dian Heunis, 2. Bryce Calvert, 1. Phathu Ganyane. Replacements: 16. Ethan Bester, 17. Robert Everson, 18. Nicholas Snyman, 19. Thomas Dyer, 20. Kevin Tshituka, 21. Michael Koch, 22. Stehan Heymans, 23. Jurenzo Julius.
