Cell C Sharks vs Glasgow Warriors 15 / 10 / 2022

TIDE HAS COME

THE CELL C SHARKS

CHANGING THE GAME

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MATCH PREVIEW BACK HOME

WORDS: ALBERT HEENOP

The Cell C Sharks returned from Ireland last weekend having won two of their first three matches in the 2022-23 VURC. They have bagged 10 invaluable championship points on the road, even though they were still without half a dozen of their Boks. That is a positive start and with a couple of home games at Hollywoodbets Kings Park coming up, the men in black will be eager to impress.

The Durban-based side launched their current VURC campaign with a hardfought 42-37 win against Zebre in Parma, Italy, on September 23, and a week later had to dig even deeper for a heartstopping yet inspirational 20-19 victory over the Dragons at the famous Rodney Parade in Newport.

Last Saturday they suffered a 34-54 defeat at the hands of Leinster in Dublin, having still been only 27-28 in arrears after an hour.

In a captivating contest, which truly set the URC scene alight, the Cell C Sharks managed to record five thrilling tries against the eight-time URC champions, but their inexperience on defence was exposed during the last 20 minutes.

The Cell C Sharks, though, could not be faulted for lack of effort nor energy, and this relatively youthful side never gave up trying against their illustrious opponents away from home. As a matter of fact, they stunned Leinster at times with their sheer physicality - both on attack and in defence. To be sure, the growth shown by the Cell C Sharks on their overseas trip was commendable, and certainly bodes well for the not-too-distant future.

Back at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, the Cell C Sharks commence their home campaign against the Glasgow Warriors this afternoon.

Coached and captained by the South African-born duo of Franco Smith and Kyle Steyn respectively, the Scottish outfit are currently lying in seventh spot on the URC

table, one ahead of their hosts today. Both teams have 10 championship points, while the Cell C Sharks have played one game less than the Warriors, who have lost two of their four games to date.

The Warriors departed the UK on the back of a handsome 35-21 win against the Bulls on the weekend, but, as Smith pointed out earlier, the challenge now is to win away from their Scotstoun Stadium in the West End of Glasgow.

“South African sides are very happy at home,” Smith observed in an interview on News24. “They love waking up and all the build-up towards the day. We grew up with that, the braaivleis fires on the way to the game, the excitement outside the stadium and the temperature is very good…

"Therefore, their approach at home will always be difficult. To win away from home with a European side will always be difficult - with Glasgow in this case, we need to work hard on our physicality.”

With the team playing their first home match of the season at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, the atmosphere in and around The Tank is certain to be electric, while the home side, will provide a massive physical challenge for the Scots.

the Fin!

THE CELL C SHARKS, THOUGH, COULD NEITHER BE FAULTED FOR LACK OF EFFORT NOR ENERGY, AND THIS RELATIVELY YOUTHFUL SIDE NEVER GAVE UP

PLAYIN’ WITH A SMILE ON HIS DIAL

Jaden Hendrikse heeded his dad’s advice from an early age and his infectious smile on the park not only inspires those around him, it has also helped the Cell C Sharks’ scrumhalf to lift his own game to great heights... at a mere 22 years of age.

Jaden Hendrikse is being lauded as South Africa’s find of the season.

And, why not?

The No 9 with the distinctive beard and long hair has bounced back from an unfortunate 2021 season, when the sheer joy of making his Springbok debut was offset by a serious ankle injury, barely a week later, which sidelined him for the rest of the year.

This year, Hendrikse boosted his test tally to 10, which included standout performances against New Zealand and Argentina.

Right now, with the Boks enjoying a break prior to the end-of-the-year tour of Europe and Britain, Hendrikse is fizzing to slot back into the Cell C Sharks’ swing of things.

“I am super excited to get on to the park today,” he says.

“We (the Boks) are coming back and just want to play the way the team plays, fall in with the Cell C Sharks DNA. We want to exert an influence, but also fit in as smoothly as possible.”

For Hendrikse, who received his early education at Schornville Primary School in King William’s Town, playing rugby at the highest level is all about having the right mind-set.

“And, to enjoy yourself out there,” he adds.

“Dad always told my brother Jordan and myself to enjoy what we do, and to always play with a smile on our faces.

“Dad was a soccer player, though, and so Jordan and I played a lot of soccer while growing up. However, we also played touch rugby in the street with our friends, and that was really competitive.”

Hendrikse’s competitive spirit, and natural talent no doubt, earned him a bursary from

Glenwood High School. There his sporting talents blossomed and he became a regular and outstanding member of the famous Green Machine.

“Glenwood taught me a lot about the basics, actually; the simple aspects of the game,” he says.

Now a fully-fledged Cell C Shark, the 2021 season was highly memorable one for Hendrikse, yet also one that he would be glad is behind him.

In July, he was slapped with a three-match ban for elbowing British & Irish Lions fullback Liam Williams.

“The red card came at a really bad stage for me,” he recalls.

“However, I knew what I did, and the important thing for me was learning from that experience and to never do something like that again.”

Barely a month later, Hendrikse’s genuine remorse was repaid when he came on as a substitute at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth to earn his first test cap for South Africa in the 32-12 win against Argentina on August 14, 2021.

“I was only informed on the Friday that I would be on the Bok bench, so I didn’t go through a proper week of test preparation,” he says.

“Naturally, I was nervous, but it was more a case of excitement than nerves. I just had to do the job that I normally do, and do it in the Bok system.”

Hendrikse did a pretty good job off the bench, scoring an impressive try on debut.

“That was special,” he admits, “but it wasn’t something that I’d planned; it sort of happened in the moment.”

Just the following week, though, the cheers were replaced by more tears when Hendrikse fractured his ankle in a tackle by Pumas No 8 Marcos Kremer.

“That was something out of my control, and injuries are part of the game,” he shrugs philosophically.

“Mentally I had to get myself up for the challenges that I was going through last year, and, as far as the injury was concerned, the most important thing for me was to come back from that in even better shape than I was before.”

That he certainly did, and Hendrikse capped an impressive international season this year by scoring in sensational style under the posts in Buenos Aires - again versus Argentina.

“It was a simple move really, with the forwards coming around the corner, and I simply took the space in front of me.”

The personal highlight of his season with the Boks so far, was the handsome 26-10 win against the All Blacks at Mbombela Stadium, and coming up against his childhood hero, Aaron Smith.

“Technically, Smith is a master at what he does. That’s why he has played 108 tests for New Zealand.”

Hendrikse doesn’t regard Smith to be the toughest scrumhalf that he has had to compete against, though.

“Training with the Cell C Sharks, Grant Williams pushes me to bring my very best every single day,” he says.

“It really is healthy competition, which makes you a better player.

“It’s just a matter of keeping the momentum going, of doing your best and of enjoying every moment…”

NTUTHUKO MCHUNU

PROP

BORN: 05/04/1999 HEIGHT:

WEIGHT:

BORN:

KERRON VAN VUUREN

HOOKER

WEIGHT:

HEIGHT:

EBEN ETZEBETH

BORN: 29/10/1991 HEIGHT:

THOMAS DU TOIT

PROP

WEIGHT: 134KGBORN: 05/05/1995 HEIGHT:

VINCENT TSHITUKA

BORN: 10/09.1998 HEIGHT:

BORN:

HEIGHT:

HYRON ANDREWS BORN:

HEIGHT:

WEIGHT:

DYLAN RICHARDSON

FLANK

BORN: 15/01/1999 HEIGHT: 1.84

WEIGHT:

PHEPSI BUTHELEZI

EIGHTH MANFLANK

BORN:

HEIGHT:

WEIGHT:

BOETA CHAMBERLAIN

ANTHONY VOLMINK

BORN:10/02/1990

JADEN HENDRIKSE

SCRUM-HALF

BORN: 22/07/1996 HEIGHT:

WEIGHT:

BORN:19/01/1989 HEIGHT:

TAPUAI

WEIGHT:

WERNER KOKMARNUS POTGIETER

WING

BORN:

BORN:

BONGI MBONAMBI

HOOKER

BORN:

OX NCHE

PROP

BORN:

APHELELE FASSI

CARLU SADIE

BORN:

HUGO

SIKHUMBUZO

SIYA KOLISI

LOCK EIGHTH MANLOOSE FORWARD

BORN:

BORN:

CAMERON

SCRUM-HALF

BORN:

MAKAZOLE MAPIMPI

ZANDER

THOMAS

MATT FAGERSON

ROSS

MAJOR MATCHUP

MCHUNU V FAGERSON

Ntuthuko Mchunu, together with Jaden Hendrikse, became the Cell C Sharks’ newest Springbok when he came off the bench for South Africa against Wales in Bloemfontein on July 9 this year.

His test debut capped a rapid rise for the 23-year-old loosehead prop. Mchunu hit the headlines with a spectacular solo try for the Cell C Sharks last year against the Lions in Johannesburg, which had pundits tipping him as another ‘Beast’ for the future.

That 50m-dash led to even the Beast, Tendai Mtawarira, acknowledging that Mchunu is ‘the real deal’.

Educated at Maritzburg College, Mchunu represented the Cell C Sharks since school, and his development up the ranks was a natural and swift progression.

Zander Fagerson is a highly skilled tighthead prop who has excelled for both Glasgow Warriors and Scotland over the past eight years. He is considered to be one of the finest front-rankers in the game today.

Fagerson made his debut for Glasgow Warriors against Treviso in 2014, and became the youngest player to reach 50 caps for the club at only 21 years of age.

Having represented Scotland at age-group level, Fagerson made his senior test debut as a substitute in a Six Nations match against England in 2016.

He currently boasts 50 caps for Scotland and 119 for the Warriors. Last year, Fagerson toured South Africa with the British & Irish Lions.

WELCOMING THE WARRIORS FACTS, STATS & TRIVIA

HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK IS TODAY PLAYING HOST, FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, TO THE GLASGOW WARRIORS, SECOND OF TWO PRO-FESSIONAL RUGBY FRANCHISES FROM SCOTLAND…

Did you know that…

* The Glasgow Warriors’ origins can be traced back 150 years to the Glasgow District side, founded in 1872.

* The club turned professional in 1996, originally known as Glasgow Rugby and Glasgow Caledonians before being rebranded as the Glasgow Warriors in 2005.

* The Warriors have played their matches in Glasgow either at Hughenden Stadium, Firhill Stadium or Scotstoun Stadium, which is their current homeground.

* The Warriors claimed their first major honour by beating Munster 31-13 in the 2015 Guinness PRO12 final in Belfast.

* They were coached on that occasion by current Scotland coach Gregor Town-send, who turned out for The Sharks in 2004.

* The club has reached two Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals, losing to eventual champions Saracens on both occasions in 2017 and 2019 respectively.

* The Warriors boast a proud track record of producing international talent, with 21 members of the Warriors squad selected for RWC 2015 – more than any other club side in world rugby - as well as 15 British & Irish Lions representatives over the years.

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