CEL C SHARKS VS AIRLINK PUMAS 07 APRIL 2023

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

LET'S DO THIS CELL C SHARKS AIRLINK PUMAS VS KICK-OFF 19H05

7/04

#SHAvPUM

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CHANGING THE GAME is a team effort.

SIYA KOLISI - RUGBY 4

CELL C SHARKS VS AIRLINK PUMAS

@OAKLEY INC.

OAKLEY.COM

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

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CONTENTS

POA 16H30 PARKING GATES OPEN 16H45 TURNSTILES OPEN 19H05 CELL C SHARKS VS AIRLINK PUMAS

10 14 20 21 22

MATCH PREVIEW

CELL C SHARKS VS AIRLINK PUMAS KICK OFF 19H05

MAJOR MATCH UP POTGIETER V APPOLLIS

FIXTURES & LOG CURRIE CUP

SPONSORS THE SHARKS

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C E L L C P RO U D LY SU PPO RT S T HE S H ARK S

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MATCH PREVIEW

CURRIE CUP CRUNCH WORDS: ALBERT HEENOP

In terms of important Currie Cup encounters, they hardly come bigger than today’s tussle between the Cell C Sharks and defending champions, the Pumas. Even though the domestic showpiece hasn’t reached the halfway stage yet, it is pretty much a must-win occasion for the home team…

The Pumas arrive at Hollywoodbets Kings Park tonight as not only the defending Currie Cup champions, but also as the current log leaders and only unbeaten side in 2023 edition of the 131-year-old competition.

The Mbombela-based outfit underlined their intent in no uncertain terms last Friday, when they walloped the Cheetahs 61-21 in Bloemfontein to consolidate their top-of-the-table status. They have now won their first four Currie Cup games on the trot, while it was the Cheetahs’ first defeat of the season.

The Cell C Sharks suffered their second loss of the season in Johannesburg on Saturday, going down 22-34 to the Lions in a titanic tussle on the Highveld.

The Cell C Sharks were leading 12-5 at the break, having outscored their hosts by 10 CELL C SHARKS VS AIRLINK PUMAS

two tries to one in the opening spell.

At the end of the day, however, Joey Mongalo’s charges let themselves down through some indiscipline - they conceded a costly yellow card shortly after the break - and several missed opportunities at goal, which ultimately denied them of what could have proven to be an invaluable away win.

Back at home today, the Cell C Sharks will be backing themselves for another much improved effort, against the defending champions.

The Durbanites have to date won all their matches in The Shark Tank, against the Griffons during the opening round of this year’s Currie Cup competition and, then, a fortnight ago against Western Province.

The Capetonians were also undefeated when they arrived in Durban, but the Cell C Sharks produced a highly committed

performance to emerge with a crucial but well-deserved 20-7 win against WP in a highly entertaining encounter at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.

Murray Koster and co will no doubt be fizzing to replicate that type of hometown display tonight against the Pumas.

As things currently stand, the Cell C Sharks are placed fourth on the Currie Cup Premier Division table, nine championship points adrift of the top-of-the-log Pumas, but only three and five points behind the Lions and Cheetahs respectively, who are in third and second spot.

BACK AT HOME TODAY, THE CELL C SHARKS WILL BE BACKING THEMSELVES FOR ANOTHER MUCH IMPROVED EFFORT, AGAINST THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS. The importance of winning at home tonight therefore goes without saying for the Cell C Sharks.

The boys remain at home next week, hosting the beleaguered Bulls, before heading back upcountry for what promises to be a tough away assignment against the Cheetahs at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.

The Cell C Sharks will return to Hollywoodbets Kings Park at the end of the month, for their return encounter with Griquas.

But, for now, this is indeed the biggest Currie Cup game of the season to date for the Cell C Sharks, and one in which they are aiming to exhibit the creativity and fighting spirit that have become the hallmark of the men in black down the years.

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CELL C SHARKS

HEAD COACH

JOEY MONGALO

NEVALDO FLEURS

15

PHIKOLOMZI SOBAHLE

14

MARNUS POTGIETER

13

MURRAY KOSTER

12

ANTHONY VOLMINK

11

FRED ZEILINGA

10

TIAAN FOURIE

09

JAMES VENTER

08

CORNE RAHL

07

THEMBELANI BHOLI

06

RENIEL HUGO (C)

05

OCKIE BARNARD

04

KHUTHA MCHUNU

03

FEZ MBATHA

02

DIAN BLEULER

01

DAMEON VENTER

16

KHWEZI MONA

17

WIEHAHN HERBST

18

MARCO DE WITT

19

TINOTENDA MAVESERE

20

ZEE MKHABELA

21

LIONEL CRONJE

22

JOSH JONAS

23

MANAGER

ANDRE BARNARD

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KICK OFF 19H05 REFEREE PAUL MENTE

AIRLINK PUMAS

5

DEVON WILLIAMS

4

ETIENNE TALJAARD

3

DIEGO APPOLLIS

2

ALI MGIJIMA

1

JADE STIGHLING

0

TINUS DE BEER

9

GOIVAN SNYMAN

8

KWANDA DIMAZA

7

FRANNA KLEINHANS

6

ANDRE FOUCHE

5

SHANE KIRKWOOD (C)

4

DEON SLABBERT

3

IG PRINSLOO

2

LLEWELLYN CLASSEN

1

CORNE FOURIE

6

PJ JACOBS

7

CAMERON DAWSON

8

JUICE GUMEDE

9

MALEMBE MPOFU

0

RUWALD VAN DER MERWE

1

CHRISWILL SEPTEMBER

2

BRANDON THOMSON

3

STEFAN COETZEE ASSISTANT REFEREES YANGA SOTSHANGANE & DAMIAN VARNEY TMO QUINTON IMMELMAN

HEAD COACH

JIMMY STONEHOUSE

MANAGER

SAMUEL SIKIWE

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THE ULTIMATE TEAM

SECURITY, FACILITIES & CLEANING Visit www.ssgsa.co.za 18 CELL C SHARKS VS AIRLINK PUMAS

Performance partners

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PROUD SPONSOR OF THE SHARKS

To explore our exceptional range of vehicles visit www.smg.co.za.

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MAJOR MATCHUP

POTGIETER V APPOLLIS Although renowned as a hard-running winger, Marnus Potgieter has been utilised in the Cell C Sharks midfield of late, and to good effect.

Originally named in the Bulls squad for the Super Rugby Unlocked competition two years ago, Potgieter made his debut for the Blue Bulls later that same year in the Currie Cup Premier Division, against the Free State Cheetahs.

The 23-year-old has since found a new home at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, where he has already impressed for the Cell C Sharks with his speedy sorties along the tramlines and down the middle of the field.

Diego Appollis is currently the top try-scorer in the Currie Cup Premier Division with a tally of five tries in four games played.

Born on August 27, 2000, in Paarl, Appollis received his high school education at Hoërskool Garsfontein, in Pretoria, from where he gradually started working his way up through the Blue Bulls age-group ranks.

Appollis represented the Blue Bulls during last year’s Currie Cup competition, making his debut against the Golden Lions, but has since signed with the Mbombela-based defending champions.

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CURRIE CUP LOG TEAM AIRLINK PUMAS

P

W

D

L

PD

PTS

4

4

0

0

110

19

TOYOTA CHEETAHS

4

3

0

1

48

15

FIDELITY ADT LIONS

4

2

0

2

4

13

CELL C SHARKS

4

2

0

2

9

10

DHL WESTERN PROVINCE

4

2

0

2

-8

10

THE WINDHOEK DRAUGHT GRIQUAS

4

2

0

2

-11

10

NOVAVIT GRIFFONS

4

1

0

3

-67

5

VODACOM BULLS

4

0

0

4

-85

3

CURRIE CUP FIXTURES / RESULTS R0UND 1R

SAT, 11 MAR

CELL C SHARKS VS NOVAVIT GRIFFONS | 32-16

ROUND 2

SUN, 19 MAR

WINDHOEK DRAUGHT GRIQUAS VS CELL C SHARKS | 48-40

R0UND 3

SUN, 26 MAR R0UND 4

SAT, 1 APR R0UND 5

FRI, 7 APR R0UND 6

FRI, 14 APR

CELL C SHARKS VS DHL WESTERN PROVINCE | 20-7 CELL C SHARKS VS FIDELITY ADT LIONS | 34-22 CELL C SHARKS VS AIRLINK PUMAS CELL C SHARKS VS VODACOM BULLS

R0UND 7

SUN, 23 APR R0UND 8

SAT, 29 APR R0UND 9

SAT, 6 MAY

TOYOTA CHEETAHS VS CELL C SHARKS CELL C SHARKS VS WINDHOEK DRAUGHT GRIQUAS VODACOM BULLS VS CELL C SHARKS

R0UND 10

FRI, 12 MAY R0UND 11

FRI, 19 MAY

AIRLINK PUMAS VS CELL C SHARKS CELL C SHARKS VS TOYOTA CHEETAHS

R0UND 12

SAT, 26 MAY R0UND 13

SAT, 3 JUN

NOVAVIT GRIFFONS VS CELL C SHARKS FIDELITY ADT LIONS VS CELL C SHARKS

R0UND 14

SAT, 10 JUN

DHL WESTERN PROVINCE VS CELL C SHARKS

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN AWAY TAFEL LAGER PARK, KIMBERLEY HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN AWAY EMIRATES AIRLINE PARK, JHB 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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