CELL C SHARKS VS NOVAVIT GRIFFONS

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

WHERE LEGENDS RISE

CELL C SHARKS

KICK-OFF 13H30 VS

NOVAVIT GRIFFONS

CHANGING THE GAME

is a team effort.

SIYA KOLISI - RUGBY

MESSAGE PRESIDENT OF SA RUGBY

Welcome to this exciting meeting in the 2023 edition of the Currie Cup, the premier provincial competition on the South African rugby landscape at a time when the process of re-aligning the local season with the northern hemisphere is well underway.

As the oldest provincial rugby competition in the world, the Currie Cup has always provided a magnificent pathway for players to show they have what it takes to step up to high-intensity action at the top level.

As always, we are looking forward to our provincial teams again unearthing the next generation of Springbok stars by providing playing opportunities to the best local talent.

The iconic Currie Cup is about respectful rivalry, provincial passion, ambition, pride and community, with local support always at very high levels.

And then there’s the captivating drama and intrigue associated with the Currie Cup, with eight teams fighting it out for top honours this year after the NovaVit Griffons joined the Premier Division after winning the First Division in 2022.

Will the Airlink Pumas be able to repeat their massive achievement from last year when they defeated Windhoek Draught Griquas in a pulsating final in Kimberley, or will the traditional powerhouses of the competition, DHL Western Province, the

Vodacom Bulls and Cell C Sharks flex their muscles once again?

The Toyota Cheetahs are always a threat especially at home in Bloemfontein, the Fidelity ADT Lions will be looking to make a massive step up and push hard for the final towards the end of June, and the newly promoted NovaVit Griffons will no doubt will be very happy to be back in the Premier Division.

Another exciting competition awaits and the big question is, who will step up this year to lift the coveted gold trophy at the final on Saturday, 24 June?

Good luck to all the teams for what promises to be an exciting and challenging double round of action, culminating in the playoffs late in June.

I’d also like to thank our broadcast partner, SuperSport and all our other stakeholders for their continued support, as well as all the team partners who invest in the local game, ensuring we can deliver a top-class product week in and week out.

Thank you also to everyone who continue to work hard behind the scenes to make the 2023 edition of the Currie Cup a reality. And good luck to all the players, coaches, management staff and volunteers for their various contributions to ensure this remain our premier local provincial competition.

MARK ALEXANDER President: SA Rugby

CELL C PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE SHARKS

MATCH PREVIEW

TURN TO SHINE

The eight-time champion Cell C Sharks kick off their 2023 Carling Currie Cup campaign at Hollywoodbets Kings Park today against the NovaVit Griffons. The 131-year-old domestic championship provides a fantastic opportunity for young players, aspiring to play URC, to show their mettle…

The Carling Currie Cup format has been increased to eight teams this season, following the addition of the Welkombased Griffons, who clinched the 2022 First Division.

Running parallel with the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and Heineken Champions Cup, the Carling Currie Cup provides a perfect platform for fringe players to stake a claim for URC participation.

Most importantly, the 14 rounds of Carling Currie Cup warfare will offer invaluable game time to players wanting to work their way up the ranks.

Joey Mongalo, a University of Pretoria Masters graduate, is taking charge of the Carling Currie Cup campaign as new Cell C Sharks head coach, having previously

clinched back-to-back national U-19 titles with the Golden Lions in 2016 and 2017. Mongalo, who was also rated highly as defence coach with the Bulls, has picked an interesting mix of players for today’s Carling Currie Cup pipe opener against the Griffons, with a handful of senior, more experienced players blending with a host of up-and-coming juniors.

“We indeed have quite a combination of players in our team, a melting pot so to speak,” Mongalo agreed.

“There are some players with URC experience, some Under-21 players and some even from the club rugby system. So, we have a wide array of players who haven’t played together and have only trained three or four times together, due to the dynamic nature of the Carling Currie Cup set-up.

WORDS: ALBERT HEENOP

“The biggest challenge for us is so see how quickly the group can find cohesion and connection. We’ve been working hard off the field to connect, because we haven’t had the opportunity on the field.

“Hopefully, that outcome will come sooner rather than later.

“We have a few experienced guys in the backline and will rely on them to give us direction and structure.”

Although the Griffons are one of the traditional smaller unions, last year’s Carling Currie Cup competition has shown, with the final contested between the Pumas and Griquas, that the gap at this level is closing, with the big unions being genuinely tested on the domestic stage.

“The Griffons have played a number of friendly matches in preparation for the Carling Currie Cup, so they will be wellprepared for this match,” Mongalo observed. “They’ve been together for four months preparing so they will be a well-oiled unit.

“We expect them to be strong defensively, with a strong set-piece, and that translates into an organised team, one that we cannot even think about underestimating.”

The importance of maximising hometown advantage today is also something that Mongalo’s charges won’t underestimate.

“WE INDEED HAVE QUITE A COMBINATION OF PLAYERS IN OUR TEAM, A MELTING POT SO TO SPEAK.”

CELL C SHARKS

NOVAVIT GRIFFONS

DOMMENIC SMIT

DUREN HOFFMAN

CAREL-JAN COETZEE

MARQUIT SEPTEMBER

GRANWILL MATTHYS

DUAN PRETORIUS (C)

JAYWINN JURIES

SOSO XAKALASHE

JEAN-JACQUES PRETORUIS

THATO MAVUNDLA

MICHAEL BENADIE

JACO WILLEMSE

DOCTOR BOOYSEN

DANDRE DELPORT

STEPHAN DE JAGER

HP VAN SCHOOR

XOLANI JACOBS

NEO MOHAPI

WIKUS NIEUWENHUIS

LUDIO WILLIAMS

ETHAN WILLIAMS

ROBBIE PETZER

KEANU VERS

ASSISTANT REFEREES

ZUKILE MADIKIZELA & KELSEY SYMONS

TMO

ARCHIE SEHLAKO

HEAD COACH JACQUES JURIES

MICHAEL HERBERT

MANAGER

KOSTER V SEPTEMBER MAJOR MATCHUP

The Cell C Sharks will be skippered from centre today, as they embark on their 2023 Carling Currie Cup journey.

Murray Koster (24) celebrated his Cell C Sharks’ debut two years ago with a comprehensive 35-10 victory over Griquas.

Capable of operating at centre or flyhalf with equal efficiency, Koster was educated at the famous St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown, from where he gained Craven Week selection for the Eastern Province Country Districts team in 2017.

A member of the Cell C Sharks U19 squad that scooped the national title in 2018, Koster also narrowly missed out on Junior Springbok selection for the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina.

Lining up opposite Koster today, is 28-year-old Marquit September, a sturdy and experienced centre who made his senior provincial debut for the Blue Bulls in the erstwhile Vodacom Cup almost a decade ago.

He was a regular and reliable fixture for the Blue Bulls midfield from 2014 through to 2017, when he transferred to the Southern Cape and strutted his stuff for the SWD Eagles in the Carling Currie Cup First Division for three seasons in a row.

Having signed with the NovaVit Griffons last year, September’s obvious experience at this level should prove invaluable to the purple-jerseyed visitors from Welkom in this year’s edition of the Carling Currie Cup.

GRIFFONS VS CELL C SHARKS

FIDELITY ADT LIONS VS CELL C SHARKS

DHL WESTERN PROVINCE VS CELL C SHARKS

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

AWAY TAFEL LAGER PARK, KIMBERLEY

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

TBC

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

AWAY TOYOTA STADIUM, BLOEMFONTEIN

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

AWAY LOFTUS VERSFELD, PRETORIA

AWAY MBOMBELA STADIUM, NELSPRUIT

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

AWAY DOWN TOUCH INVESTMENT STADIUM, WELKOM

AWAY EMIRATES AIRLINE PARK, JHB

AWAY DHL STADIUM, CPT

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