01/04/23

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME
01/04/23
OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME
CELL C SHARKS MUNSTER KICK-OFF 13H30 VS
DRINK RESPONSIBLY. NOT FOR PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
A warm welcome to this Round of 16 fixture in the Heineken Champions Cup as competition for a coveted place in the 2023 Dublin Final really begins to hot up.
The knockout stage generates its very own brand of compelling, high-stakes rugby, and it’s win or bust now for the remaining elite clubs who remain in contention for the 28th Heineken Champions Cup Final, which will be staged at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 20 May.
Following the historic introduction of the leading South African clubs into this season’s Heineken Champions Cup, it came as no major surprise that the Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls all qualified in impressive style for the business end of the tournament at the first attempt.
To emphasise the enduring quality of the tournament, the clubs that reached this season’s knockout stage had as many as 27 EPCR titles between them.
In addition, as you are no doubt aware, the clubs with the highest rankings from the pool stage earn home advantage for the Round of 16 and quarter-final matches.
We are delighted to be joined on the journey to Dublin by our long-standing title partner, Heineken, by our official partners, DHL, IHG and Tissot, by our official supporters, Gilbert and Kappa, and also by our official airline partner in South Africa, Qatar Airways.
Our loyal broadcast partners, BT Sport, beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions, continue to provide unrivalled coverage of the Heineken Champions Cup in the UK, Ireland and France respectively, while SuperSport in South Africa, ITV and RTÉ in the UK and Ireland, S4C in Wales and FloRugby in the USA and Canada are making valuable contributions to the growth of tournament.
On behalf of everyone at EPCR, enjoy the match and best wishes to you, the fans, as well as to your club’s players and staff for what promises to be another tension-packed occasion in the Heineken Champions Cup knockout stage.
Yours in rugby,
Dominic McKay, EPCR ChairmanTEAMWORK. SPEED. DELIVERY. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE OFFICIAL LOGISTICS PARTNER. DHL.
Nobody was more disappointed with their strangely disconnected performance in URC against the Scarlets last Saturday than the Cell C Sharks themselves. It was largely due to the fact that the Boks had been out of the mix for half a dozen weeks. However, with the boys finding their mutual mojo, these Cell C Sharks are primed to hit their straps in today’s Round of 16 Champions Cup encounter with Munster…
Nobody quite expected the Cell C Sharks to go down 20-32 against the Scarlets during last Saturday night’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship encounter in Llanelli.
To be sure, it was a highly uncharacteristic performance by the Durban-based outfit, who, after six weeks, had their full contingent of Springbok players back at their disposal.
It was an overall lacklustre performance, marked by far too may unforced errors and poor discipline, which resulted in a string of penalties that Scarlets sharpshooters Sam Castello converted to effectively boot the Welsh team to victory.
The try tally was two apiece, yet Castello was on target with no fewer than six straight penalty goals.
In hindsight, the long overdue return
of the Boks probably contributed in a big way to the downfall of the Cell C Sharks in Llanelli, as the team clearly lacked the necessary cohesion and collective thrust to stamp their authority on the opposition.
With the URC making way for the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 this week, and quarter-finals next week, Siya Kolisi and his troops have left no stone unturned in their quest to rectify matters, and attain the coherence and clinicality that have already established them as a force to be reckoned with in the Champions Cup.
The Hollywoodbets Kings Park faithful can indeed rest assured that it will be vastly different animal being released in The Shark Tank today.
Irish powerhouse Munster arrived in Durban this week on the back of a loss in the URC, too.
The team, coached by former England and
Leicester Tigers prop, Graham Rowntree, suffered a 26-38 defeat at the hands of the Glasgow Warriors at home in Limerick.
They will therefore also be intent on getting back to winning ways, especially with a Champions Cup quarter-final berth next week up for grabs.
Considering how well the Cell C Sharks have fared in their maiden Champions Cup season - they won three of their four Pool gamesNeil Powell’s charges, though, will be backing themselves for the type of commanding performance, at home, which will not only warm the hearts of their huge fan base but will also secure that all-important playoff spot.
As far as individual statistics in the Champions Cup is concerned, Cell C Sharks’ pivot Curwin Bosch is currently second in terms of points-scorers with a tally of 35, while scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse has been included on the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) Player of the Year long-list after crossing for three tries during the pool stages of the campaign.
If the Cell C Sharks, with their international artillery up front, can attain the usual dominance in the forward exchanges, Hendrikse and Bosch can be expected to again dictate matters superbly behind the scrum and unleash their equally potent three-quarter line.
A thrilling afternoon of Champions Cup warfare is in store.
THE HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK FAITHFUL CAN INDEED REST ASSURED THAT IT WILL BE VASTLY DIFFERENT ANIMAL BEING RELEASED IN THE SHARK TANK TODAY.
As one of South Africa’s RWC heroes of 2019, Bongi Mbonambi is someone who doesn’t dwell too much on the past. For that very reason, he has already put the disappointment of the Scarlets’ loss behind him and is simply fizzing to tackle Munster in today’s massive Champions Cup confrontation…
Born on January 7, 1991, in the Free State town of Bethlehem, Mbongeni Theo Mbonambi and his mates created ‘rugby balls’ from orange bags and newspapers, as they had no real rugby balls to play with.
“Growing up in Bethlehem had its challenges, but my parents worked very had to make sure that we could have a better education and opportunities than what they had,” he says. “Once I got my opportunity, though, I took it with both hands, with the full support of my parents and family.”
Mbonambi started playing rugby at Truida Kestell Primary School in Bethlehem, but reckons that he only started talking the game seriously at the age of 16, at Voortrekker High School, from where he represented the Griffons at the Grant Khomo Week of 2007 at Kearsney College.
His final two years of schooling were spent at St Alban's College in Pretoria, where he gradually started working his way through the various Blue Bulls age-groups.
“I arrived at St Alban’s during the middle of Grade 10, and boarded in MacRobert House with an awesome group of friends,” he recalls.
“There was a gymnasium on the school premises, so I made proper use of that. I enjoyed everything about St Alban’s and the values it taught me.”
According to Mbonambi, family played a huge role in his rugby career.
“I always had family and friends supporting me and helping where they could.
“That certainly made a difference, and made me want to work harder to make them all proud.
“I just made the most of every opportunity I got, and, to this day, sees it as a privilege and honour to be able to play this beautiful game of rugby.
“Disappointments come and go, but I don’t really dwell on them too much. I just make sure that I have no regrets at the end of the day.
“Making the most of every day is what’s important.
“To have some good laughs with family and friends, and to just enjoy rugby while I still can.”
His Super Rugby debut for the Bulls came against the Crusaders in 2012.
“What an amazing feeling!” he enthuses. “All the excitement and the nerves of the big stage.
“Even though it was only for a few minutes, those are memories that I will cherish forever.” In 2015, Mbonambi transferred to the Cape with a view to getting more game time, and progressed so much that he made his Springbok debut the following year already, against Ireland in Port Elizabeth.
“Naturally, that was an awesome milestone in my career, and a feeling that one cannot really put into words.”
The highlight of his career was obviously being part of South Africa’s World Cup
winning squad in 2019, and the most special thing about the tournament was having his loved ones by his side.
“Having my wife and daughter over, being able to enjoy some time with them while playing rugby for my country, was out of this world,” he says.
With 73 caps for Stormers under the belt, Mbonambi decided in 2021 to move up the coast to Durban and join the Cell C Sharks.
“I just saw it as an opportunity to grow my game, and to work with world-class players.
“I’m enjoying every minute of being part of this awesome team, and representing the Cell C Sharks in rugby’s major competitions.”
As far as last week’s Vodacom URC loss to the Scarlets and today’s big Heineken Champions Cup encounter with Munster is concerned, Mbonambi is equally philosophical and excited.
“We have had a look at ourselves and all the chances we didn’t take in Llanelli, but we know we can’t dwell too much in the past.
“We have had a good week of preparation for today’s game, and we are looking forward to the challenge and to make our fans proud.”
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PROP OX NCHE
BORN: 23/07/1995
HEIGHT: 1.73 m
WEIGHT: 114KG
BONGI MBONAMBI
HOOKER
BORN: 07/01/1991
HEIGHT: 1.75 m
WEIGHT: 108KG
THOMAS DU TOIT
PROP
BORN: 05/05/1995
HEIGHT: 1.89 m
WEIGHT: 134KG
EBEN ETZEBETH
LOCK
BORN: 29/10/1991
HEIGHT: 2.03 m
GERBRANDT GROBLER
LOCK
SIYA KOLISI
WEIGHT: 117KG
VINCENT TSHITUKA
FLANK
BORN: 10/09.1998
HEIGHT: 1.95 m
BORN: 06/02/1992
HEIGHT: 2.01 m
WEIGHT: 119KG
BORN: 16/06/1991
HEIGHT: 1.88 m
WEIGHT: 103KG
CURWIN BOSCH
BORN: 25/06/1997
WEIGHT: 107KG
SIKHUMBUZO NOTSHE
EIGHTH MAN
BORN: 28/05/1993
HEIGHT: 1.86 m
WEIGHT: 105KG
JADEN HENDRIKSE
SCRUM-HALF
BORN: 23/03/2000
HEIGHT: 1.79 m
WEIGHT: 87KG
WEIGHT: 85KG
CELL C SHARKS VS MUNSTER
HEIGHT: 1.81 m
MAKAZOLE MAPIMPI
FLANK FLYHALF
WING
BORN:26/07/1990
HEIGHT: 1.84 m
WEIGHT: 91KG
ROHAN JANSE VAN RENSBURG
CENTRE
BORN: 11/09/1994
HEIGHT: 1.85 m
WEIGHT: 109KG
LUKHANYO AM
BORN: 28/11/1993
HEIGHT: 1.86 m
WERNER KOK
BOETA CHAMBERLAIN
FULLBACK
WEIGHT: 93KG
KERRON VAN VUUREN
BORN: 23/05/1995
HEIGHT: 1.87 m
BORN: 17/01/1993
HEIGHT: 1.79 m
WEIGHT: 94KG
BORN: 22/02/1999
HEIGHT: 1.81 m
WEIGHT: 86KG
NTUTHUKO MCHUNU
PROP WING CENTRE
CARLU SADIE
PROP
WEIGHT: 106KG
BORN: 08/10/1992
HEIGHT: 1.81 m
WEIGHT: 112KG
BORN: 07/05/1997
HEIGHT: 1.82 m
WEIGHT: 138KG
EMILE VAN HEERDEN
LOCK
BORN: 8/8/2000
PHEPSI BUTHELEZI
LOOSE FORWARD
BORN: 27/03/1992
HEIGHT: 1.92m
WEIGHT: 80KG
SCRUM-HALF
BORN: 22/07/1996
HEIGHT: 1.74m
WEIGHT: 92KG
BEN TAPUAI
CENTRE
BORN:19/01/1989
WEIGHT: 95KG
THAAKIR ABRAHAMS
WING
BORN:10/01/2000
HEIGHT: 1.75 m
WEIGHT: 75KG
MIKE HALEY
CALVIN NASH
ANTOINE FRISCH
MALAKAI FEKITOA
SHANE DALY
JACK CROWLEY
CRAIG CASEY
GAVIN COOMBES
JOHN HODNETT
PETER O’MAHONY (C)
RG SNYMAN
JEAN KLEYN
ROMAN SALANOA
NIALL SCANNELL
DAVE KILCOYNE
DIARMUID BARRON
JOSH WYCHERLEY
STEPHEN ARCHER
FINEEN WYCHERLEY
JACK O’DONOGHUE
CONOR MURRAY
JOEY CARBERY
ALEX KENDELLEN
GRAHAM ROWNTREE
NIALL O' DONOVAN
ASSISTANT REFEREES
ADAM LEAL & JONATHAN HEALY
TMO
TOM FOLEY
It’s not only captain versus captain today, in the same position, but national captain versus national captain, as Siya Kolisi and Peter O’Mahony lead the Cell C Sharks and Munster into battle today.
Kolisi boasts 75 tests for South Africa, of which 45 as national skipper. He was, of course, The Man who led the Springboks to the epic Rugby World Cup title in Japan in 2019, as well as a series victory over the British & Irish Lions in 2021.
As such, Kolisi already rates as one of the great Springbok captains of all time.
And, the 31-year-old is certain to lead both the Cell C Sharks and hunt for the loose ball with aplomb this afternoon.
Peter O’Mahony, closing in on a century of international caps, has captained Ireland on 10 occasions and also the British and Irish Lions in the first test of their series with New Zealand in 2017.
The 33-year-old flanker has tasted heaps of success in the Six Nations since making his Ireland debut in 2012, and has now formed part of a Six Nations title-winning Irish outfit on four occasions, including the recent Grand Slam - their first since 2018.
A born leader who can galvanise those around him, O’Mahony has indeed been a gigantic figure for Irish and Munster rugby for more than a decade.
BORN:14/12/1988
HEIGHT: 1.83 m
BORN:26/08/1993
HEIGHT: 2.03 m
WEIGHT: 111KG
HOOKER
BORN: 8/04/1992
HEIGHT: 1.85m
WEIGHT: 111KG
BORN: 28/10/1997
HEIGHT: 1.83 m
WEIGHT: 123KG
LOCK
WEIGHT: 121KG
BORN:29/01/1995
HEIGHT: 2.06 m
WEIGHT: 117KG
FLANK
BORN:17/09/1989
HEIGHT: 1.91 m
WEIGHT: 107KG
FLANK
BORN: 10/01/1999
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 105KG
EIGHTH MAN
BORN: 11/12/1997
HEIGHT: 1.98m
WEIGHT: 110KG
SCRUMHALF
BORN: 19/04/1999
HEIGHT: 1.65 m
WEIGHT: 76KG
BORN: 13/01/2000
HEIGHT: 1.85m
WEIGHT: 89KG
BORN: 19/12/1996
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 92KG
CENTRE
BORN: 10/05/1992
HEIGHT: 1.87 m
WEIGHT: 99KG
ANTOINE FRISCH
CENTRE
BORN: 1/06/1996
HEIGHT: 1.88 m
WEIGHT: 90KG
MIKE HALEY
WING
BORN: 28/06/1994
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 93KG
CALVIN NASH
FULL BACK
BORN: 8/08/1997
HEIGHT: 1.78m
WEIGHT: 90KG
JOSH WYCHERLEY DIARMUID BARRON
PROP HOOKER
BORN: 6/08/1998
HEIGHT: 1.83 m
WEIGHT: 98KG
BORN: 22/07/1999
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 108KG
STEPHEN ARCHER
PROP
BORN: 29/01/2988
HEIGHT: 1.88 m
WEIGHT: 118KG
FINEEN WYCHERLEY CONOR MURRAY
LOCK
BORN: 11/12/1997
HEIGHT: 1.93 m
WEIGHT: 112KG
JACK O’DONOGHUE
LOOSE FORWARD
BORN:8/2/1994
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 109KG
SCRUM-HALF
BORN: 20/04/1989
HEIGHT: 1.88m
WEIGHT: 93KG
JOEY CARBERY
FLYHALF
BORN: 1/11/1995
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 86KG
ALEX KENDELLEN
FLANK
BORN: 3/03/2001
HEIGHT: 1.88 m
WEIGHT: 105KG
THE PARISH OF TIPPERARY, FOCAL POINT OF WHAT HAS BEEN DUBBED AS THE MOST FAMOUS IRISH SONG OF ALL, "IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY”, IS SITUATED SOME 40 KM SOUTH-EAST OF THOMOND PARK, LIMERICK, WHICH IS THE BASE OF MUNSTER, THE LAST OF THE FOUR REGIONAL RUGBY OUTFITS FROM IRELAND TO FINALLY MAKE ITS WAY TO HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN…
Rugby is a highly popular sport in Limerick, with Munster the pride and joy of the city. Did you know that…
* Munster officially started competing in 1879, although they had already played against Leinster and Ulster as far back as 1875.
* The Munster motto is “To the brave and faithful, nothing is impossible”, which is derived from the motto of the MacCarthy clan, “Forti et Fideli nihil difficile”.
* Munster has won the United Rugby Championship three times, in 2003, 2009 and 2011, and the Heineken Champions Cup twice, in 2006 and 2008.
* Until 2016, when Ireland defeated New Zealand for the first time in history, Munster was the only Irish side to have beaten the All Blacks, when they did so by 12-0 in 1978.
* Last year, Munster beat South Africa ‘A’ 28-14 in front of a Munster record crowd of 41,000 at Cork.
* Over the past 113 years, Munster has produced 36 British and Irish Lions representatives, including three captains, Tom Kiernan, Paul O'Connell and Peter O’Mahony.
THE SHARKS ACADEMY IS A WORLD-CLASS SOCCER AND RUGBY ACADEMY WHICH IS BACKED BY STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHARKS.
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@SHARKSACADEMY
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is a team effort.
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