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.

“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.