THE HEAT IS ON…

In more ways than one. Naturally, during this time of year, the Durban temperature at 2.00pm should be close to 30 degrees, with near 100 percent humidity. Secondly, the Cell C Sharks, following their plucky win in Edinburgh over the weekend, are turning the heat up on the log leaders in the URC, which is why today’s encounter with the defending champions, the Stormers, is shaping up as a rather decisive clash…

Neil Powell and his Cell C Sharks tourists arrived back from the UK earlier this week with four invaluable championship points in the bag, following their hard-fought 22-19 victory over Edinburgh at the DAM Health Stadium.

Not only did the Durbanites avenge their shock defeat at the hands of Edinburgh at Hollywoodbets Kings Park last year, the win in Scotland has also catapulted the Cell C Sharks into the top eight on the United Rugby Championship standings.

The tourists were without Springbok aces Siya Kolisi, Lukhanyo Am, Eben Etzebeth and Jaden Hendrikse, yet they nevertheless went into an early lead through tries by Grant Williams and Marnus Potgieter. The home-side, however, retaliated with three tries of their own before the break, to lead 19-14 at the half.

“During the opening 30 minutes we enjoyed a really good start,” Powell observed.

“We defended well, we stayed in our structure and we played in the right areas.

“However, during the last 15 minutes of the first half they started to play off our mistakes. We basically made it an unstructured game.

“So, the big message at halftime was to get back to our structure, to force them back into playing like we wanted to.

“We shouldn’t get caught up in how the opposition wants to play.”

The second half proved to be a titanic tussle from the word go, yet the Cell C Sharks exhibited enormous character in defence, especially during the heart-stopping 10 minutes at the death, with the Edinburgh forwards hammering away relentlessly at the line.

Fullback Aphelele Fassi, who was named Man of the Match, and openside flanker James Venter were particularly prominent with some match-saving hits.

In the end, a long-distance penalty goal by Curwin Bosch and trademark try by Kerron van Vuuren were enough to ensure this crucial away win.

As a matter of fact, Neil Powell’s charges were the only South African outfit to manage a win abroad at the weekend.

“It was a massive effort and overall a very good win, especially when you consider the other South African results,” Powell acknowledged afterwards.

“We will definitely take a lot of confidence, momentum and flow from this performance. “We are so proud of the boys, for their effort, fight and character. We asked them to be really physical and dominant, and they did exactly that.

“I know the last few minutes were really tough, but we actually did that for the whole 80 minutes.

“That should become the Cell C Sharks’ standard now; we need to really pitch up for the full 80 minutes in every single game.”

Back in The Tank today, the home side will be gunning for maximum points against the Stormers, as that can boost them to just seven points behind the Cape-based side, who are currently lying second on the ladder, and still with a game still in hand.

The Stormers are smarting following their rather heavy 5-35 defeat against Ulster in Belfast.

Having now lost two games on the trot, John Dobson’s side will be intent on not only getting their campaign back on track this afternoon, but also to try and halt the Cell C Sharks’ advance.

Homeground advantage could therefore prove to be the deciding factor this afternoon.