Cell C Sharks Currie Cup head coach Joey Mongalo was visibly relieved at a post-match interview following their 29-21 win over the Fidelity ADT Lions on Saturday.
The Cell C Sharks overcame a poor start to beat the Fidelity ADT Lions 29-21 in Durban and clinch the top spot in the Premier Division standings with their seventh-consecutive win in the competition.
Mongalo praised Cell C Sharks captain Reniel Hugo for his leadership when they were trailing 14-00 early in the first half.
“He is probably one of the best leaders I’ve ever met. When things get tough on the field, I know that he and I think alike and he has a way, with his quiet leadership, to get the team going," Mongalo said.
“We didn’t play much rugby in the first half and we still managed to get the score to 14-14. At halftime, I gave the players the challenge at the halftime break to decide how they wanted their season to go."
Joey Mongalo also said that the Fidelity ADT Lions have given the Sharks the best possible preparation for the upcoming Currie Cup semifinals.
Mongalo said “It was the best possible practice we could’ve asked for. It was highly stressful but they gave us the perfect preparation for the play-offs. I don’t think it can be tougher than 14-0 down and playing against a very desperate team that was playing to stay alive in the competition.”
