The countdown to the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division playoffs has started. The final match of today is a top-of-the-table clash between the Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls in Durban @ 19h00 after both teams agreed to move the game to the coast after it was initially scheduled for Pretoria.
Just eight points separate the top four sides, the Vodacom Blue Bulls, Cell C Sharks, Tafel Lager Griquas and New Nation Pumas, creating congestion on the log and plenty to play for in the second week of the second round.
The teams decided to switch the venue after the Durbanites missed out on a number of home games that were cancelled due to the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal, while the Vodacom Bulls also contributed R100,000 to the Sharks’ “Hands of Hope” fundraising campaign, aimed at rebuilding KZN by uplifting communities and people’s livelihoods.
The last time these two sides, currently occupying the top two spots on the Premier Division log, met in the Carling Currie Cup, was the nail-biting 2020 Final in Pretoria, where the Vodacom Bulls scored the match-winning try in the final minute of extra time.
Cell C Sharks head coach Sean Everitt has made a number of changes for this match, bringing in Khutha Mchunu for Lourens Adriaanse at loosehead prop, and back-rowers Dylan Richardson for James Venter and Henco Venter replacing Mpilo Gumede.
There are two changes in the backline, Grant Williams returning in place of Sanele Nohamba who plays off the bench while Lionel Cronje comes in at flyhalf with Curwin Bosch shifting to fullback in place of Anthony Volmink who has been named amongst the reserves.
The Vodacom Bulls will go into their Carling Currie Cup clash against the Cell C Sharks with a new-look front row.
With livewire hooker, Johan Grobbelaar, having been called up to the Springbok camp this week following impressive performances in the Vodacom Bulls’ blue colours, Schalk Erasmus has been promoted to the starting XV, where he will be joined by Lizo Gqoboka and Mornay Smith as the new prop combination.
The versatile Cornal Hendricks, who has featured on the right-wing in the previous two outings, will make a return to inside centre this week where he will partner up with Harold Vorster, who switches to No.13, for the midfield pairing.
The backline has also received a boost with the return of Stedman Gans from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where he represented the SA Sevens side. Gans will slot into the number 11 jersey on the left-wing, with ‘live-wire’ Madosh Tambwe also making a return.
Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, expressed the side’s enthusiasm ahead of the clash in Durban, “It’s another tough week against a Cell C Sharks team that will want to bounce back from their defeat to the Tafel Lager Griquas last weekend.
“It is a top of the table clash, so we can expect a fierce battle with the Cell C Sharks, who will certainly be up for the contest in an effort to topple us from the top of the log. There is definitely a lot to play for and we will have to be at the top of our game in this contest to continue with the momentum we have so far in the competition.
“We are fortunate to be able to count on the experience of players like Lizo, who starts this week. We are also excited to have the likes of Madosh and Stedman back to bolster the squad, while relying on both the experience and exuberance of the bench to close off the game for us.”
Prediction: Vodacom Bulls by 5
Cell C Sharks: 15. Curwin Bosch, 14. Yaw Penxe, 13. Werner Kok, 12. Murray Koster, 11. Thaakir Abrahams, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Grant Williams, 8. Phepsi Buthelezi (c), 7. Henco Venter, 6. Dylan Richardson, 5. Reniel Hugo, 4. Le Roux Roets, 3. Khutha Mchunu, 2. Kerron van Vuuren, 1. Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: 16. Khwezi Mona, 17. Lourens Adriaanse, 18. Thembelani Bholi, 19. Mpilo Gumede, 20. James Venter, 21. Sanele Nohamba, 22. Jeremy Ward, 23. Anthony Volmink.
Vodacom Bulls: 15. David Kriel, 14. Madosh Tambwe, 13. Harold Vorster, 12. Cornal Hendricks, 11. Stedman Gans, 10. Johan Goosen, 9. Zak Burger, 8. Elrigh Louw, 7. Muller Uys, 6. Marcell Coetzee (c), Ruan Nortje, 4. Walt Steenkamp, 3. Mornay Smith, 2. Schalk Erasmus, 1. Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: 16. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Mhleli Dlamini, 19. Janko Swanepoel, 20. Arno Botha, 21. Keagan Johannes, 22. Chris Smith, 23. Sibongile Novuka, 24. Jacques van Rooyen, 25. Reinhardt Ludwig, 26. WJ Steenkamp, 27. Marco Jansen van Vuren, 28. Richard Kriel.