COME TOGETHER

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.