The big day approaches as the Cell C Sharks host Munster in the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 knock-outs at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday at 13:30 (SA Time) in a historic first for the Durban team.
The Cell C Sharks’ first foray into the elite European competition has paid off immediate dividends and the honour of hosting a knock-out is just reward for the team’s outstanding performances in the pool stages.
Munster, currently fifth on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship log – to underline their status as a side to give healthy respect to – come to Durban for their first ever visit to Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
The Cell C Sharks will be determined to return to winning ways when they host Munster at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday, especially after suffering their first defeat in the competition in their last outing against Harlequins at Twickenham.
They will be wary of the fact Munster will pose a different challenge to that which they have faced in the competition so far, but with the team having won both their home matches in the pool stages, they are expected to enter the match with confidence.
Their motivation will be boosted by the fact that they won one more match during the season and scored 46 more points than the visitors, but Munster hold a better defensive record with 22 points fewer conceded in their first four matches.
Munster won two of their four pool games in the Heineken Champions Cup, going down twice to Toulouse, but earned enough points to finish in sixth place on the Pool B log, while the Cell C Sharks, with their three wins, finished Pool A in third spot which afforded them the honour of a home fixture in the knock-outs.
Cell C Sharks made two changes to their pack where Eben Etzebeth will have a new second-row partner in the form of Gerbrandt Grobler with Emile van Heerden dropping down to the bench and the other change is in the back row where Sikhumbuzo Notshe takes over the No.8 jersey from Phendulani Buthelezi.
“We weren’t good in our last game, but we’ve worked hard to rectify that.” Captain Siya Kolisi said in the build-up to the game.
“This is a play-off match, everything in the past no longer matters, but I think we will be much better, we don’t want a loss to define us, and Munster’s loss last week also doesn’t define them.”
Munster made five changes to the side that were beaten by Glasgow Warriors last weekend and two positional switches.
RG Snyman makes his first start for Munster since his debut in August 2020 after featuring off the bench twice since returning from a long-term injury.
The game will be Snyman’s Champions Cup debut with Antoine Frisch, Craig Casey, Niall Scannell and captain Peter O’Mahony also coming into the side.
Full-back Mike Haley, Calvin Nash and Shane Daly start in an unchanged back three. Malakai Fekitoa moves to inside centre with Frisch in at 13 after missing out last week due to injury.
Casey and Jack Crowley start together in the half-backs as Crowley moves from inside centre to out-half.
Dave Kilcoyne, Scannell and Roman Salanoa pack down in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Snyman in the engine room. O’Mahony starts on his return from international duty with John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes completing the starting XV.
Conor Murray also makes his return from international duty and is included among the replacements.
Teams:
Cell C Sharks: 15. Henry Chamberlain, 14. Werner Kok, 13. Lukhanyo Am, 12. Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 10. Curwin Bosch, 9. Jaden Hendrikse, 8. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7. Vincent Tshituka, 6. Siya Kolisi (c), 5. Gerbrandt Grobler, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Thomas du Toit, 2. Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1. Retshegofaditswe Nché. Replacements: 16. Kerron van Vuuren, 17. Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18. Carlü Sadie, 19. Emile van Heerden, 20. Phendulani Buthelezi, 21. Grant Williams, 22. Ben Tapuai, 23. Thaakir Abrahams.
Munster: 15. Mike Haley, 14. Calvin Nash, 13. Antoine Frisch, 12. Malakai Fekitoa, 11. Shane Daly, 10. Jack Crowley, 9. Craig Casey, 8. Gavin Coombes, 7. John Hodnett, 6. Peter O’Mahony (c), 5. Rudolph Snyman, 4. Jean Kleyn, 3. Roman Salanoa, 2. Niall Scannell, 1. Dave Kilcoyne. Replacements: 16. Diarmuid Barron, 17. Josh Wycherley, 18. Stephen Archer, 19. Fineen Wycherley, 20. Jack O’Donoghue, 21. Conor Murray, 22. Joey Carbery, 23. Alex Kendellen.