CELL C SHARKS VS ULSTER FEB 25 2023

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

NORTH VS SOUTH

CELL C SHARKS ULSTER KICK-OFF 14H00 VS

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CHANGING THE GAME

is a team effort.

SIYA KOLISI - RUGBY

MATCH

PREVIEW

A LONG TIME COMING

Following a delay of four months, the Cell C Sharks at long last get to host Ulster at Hollywoodbets Kings Park today. It is a massive game for the home side, as they enter the business end of the VURC, and a victory over the Irish outfit this after-noon will provide a considerable boost for their playoff chances…

Today’s crunch encounter between the Cell C Sharks and Ulster, of course, had to be re-scheduled from October last year, following a gastro outbreak in the Ulster camp based.

A lot has happened on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship front over the past four months, of course, and as things stand currently Ulster are placed third on the standings, with 44 championship points.

The Cell C Sharks are six points adrift of Ulster, in seventh spot, although both teams have won eight of their 13 games to date.

The importance of today’s match, therefore, goes without saying.

Neil Powell’s charges will be looking to follow up their impressive away win over

the Lions in Johannesburg last weekend, in an endeavour to consolidate their standing in the top seven of the table, secure a playoff berth and, ultimately, qualify for the next edition of Heineken Champions Cup warfare.

Phepsi Buthelezi and co indeed exhibited meritorious character last Saturday, in challenging conditions, to surge ahead of the Lions in the second half, secure an invaluable bonus-point win away from home and redeem themselves following the disappointing loss at the hands of the Stormer at home three weeks ago.

“That was exactly the type of fighting spirit that we need to display in every single game,” Powell observed.

“There is still a lot of room for improvement, and we need to be even more clinical, especially against a side like Ulster.

WORDS: ALBERT HEENOP

“We needed guys coming off the bench in Jo’burg who could clinch the deal for us in the fi-nal quarter, and that was exactly what the likes of Vincent Tshituka and Dylan Richardson, both returning from injury, as well as Sikhumbuzo Notshe and young frontrowers like Dian Bleuler and Fez Mbatha did. “Of course, Curwin Bosch was just fantastic in the way that he called the shots from flyhalf, especially after the break.

“We are naturally delighted about the bonus point. We have missed out on a few this season, especially at home.”

The boys will leave no stone unturned in their quest to maximise their opportunities against Ulster today at home.

More so considering that they have two extremely difficult away assignments left, against the Stormers next week and Scarlets on March 25, before concluding their URC campaign at home against Benetton and Munster in April.

Mental toughness will need to be a vital ingredient for the Cell C Sharks going forward, and they need to maintain and build on the magnificent rhythm established during the second spell against the Lions.

Although the Cell C Sharks will still be without their Springboks until March - Ulster are also missing a number of internationals on Six Nations duty - the boys won’t let that deter them.

There are more than enough quality players in the mix, and the more they develop and

It’s all about each and every individual taking responsibility for every single minute that he is out on the park.

grow, the better this Cell C Sharks outfit are destined to become.

“THAT WAS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF FIGHTING SPIRIT THAT WE NEED TO DISPLAY IN EVERY SINGLE GAME,” POWELL OBSERVED.

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN…

Is how Sikhumbuzo Notshe views his liaison with the Cell C Sharks. Sidelined for almost a year due to a serious knee injury, the six-test Springbok loose forward is swiftly regaining the fabulous form that rendered him one of the Cell C Sharks’ stars during the tabletopping 2020 Super Rugby campaign, which unfortunately had to be aborted due to Covid-19. Since arriving from the Stormers three seasons ago, Notshe has certainly rejuvenated his career at the Cell C Sharks…

For Sikhumbuzo Notshe, born 29 years ago at Keiskammahoek, a small rural village 40 km north of King William’s Town, rugby has been a family affair from the start.

“My father, brothers and cousins all played,” he recalls, “so as the youngest, I didn’t really have a choice, and instantly became passionate about it.”

His father, Mandlankosi David Notshe, played for Lagunya RFC in Cape Town, which served three different townships in Cape Town, namely Langa, Gugulethu and Nyanga.

“We watched him play every weekend,” Notshe recalls.

“We were never out in the streets, and that was good for me. I had a few mates who were up to no good at the time.

“Dad, however, never allowed us to just chill in the township. He wanted us kids to be active. “So, he took us with him to the club, and we travelled with the club to away games at venues like Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.”

Notshe was educated at Wynberg Boys High School, where he was afforded the opportunity to measure himself against the best schools in the Cape.

“We played against all the big English schools, SACS, Rondebosch and Bishops, as well as Paul Roos, Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Boys High.

“I enjoyed coming up against those opponents, to see whether you’re a quality player or not.” Notshe’s quality certainly came shining though, as he powered his way through all the various age-group ranks at Western Province and also gained SA Schools selection.

His big break, though, came when John Dobson (current Stormers coach) plucked him basically from his school desk to play Vodacom Cup rugby in 2013.

“I’d never even played Under-19,” he says, “and soon realised that school achievements mean nothing at senior level, when you come up against all those oldtimers.

“I can proudly say that I was bullied quite a bit during my first year of Vodacom Cup, and only later got the hang of it.

“Dobbo backed me throughout, though, and he was really good in terms of his manmanagement, and the environment that he created for players.”

The following year, Notshe cracked the Super Rugby domain and celebrated the occasion by scoring a try on debut against the Reds at Suncorp Stadium.

“I was busy relaxing with my brother at our digs in Cape Town on the Sunday morning when I received a call from Ria Malan, a lady that worked at WP,” he recalls.

“She told me that I had to shower and pack, as I had to join up with the Stormers in Brisbane. I figured it to be a prank call, and went back to bed.

“However, Ria called again, wanting to know how soon I could make it to Newlands, where she was busy sorting out my kit, as I had to fly out to Australia that night. That was when I realised Ria was for real.

“Receiving my kit from her was pretty special, but meeting up, after the marathon flight, with the likes of Jean de Villiers (captain), Schalk Burger and Siya Kolisi in the team hotel in Brisbane was simply mind-blowing.”

Notshe went from strength to strength, and four years later also made his Springbok debut, in South Africa’s narrow 20-22 defeat against Wales at RFK Stadium in Washington DC, USA.

“It was funny, actually, as I had been benched by the Stormers for nine weeks in a row, and I’d been pretty frustrated just getting 10 minutes here and 20 minutes there.

“Meanwhile, and unbeknown to me, Rassie (Erasmus) had kept a track on me and, to my surprise, started sharing and discussing video clips of my play with me.

“I was rather confused, and even more so when I was called up to alignment camps. I grew in confidence, though, knowing that I was being watched.

“Naturally, when I got the nod to play against Wales in Washington, I was over the moon.”

Coming off the bench, Sikhumbuzo Notshe became Springbok #900.

Less than two years later, and on the verge of gaining his 60th Stormers cap, Notshe decided to head up the coast and join forces with the Cell C Sharks

.

“During a Currie Cup game for WP, I bumped into Cell C Sharks’ coach Sean Everitt in the tunnel,” Notshe recalls.

“He asked whether I’d be interested in coming to Durban, and, being keen for a change at the time, I grabbed the opportunity.

“And, yeah, it was a match made in heaven.”

NTUTHUKO MCHUNU

PROP

BORN: 05/04/1999

HEIGHT: 1.88 m

WEIGHT: 114KG

DAN JOOSTE

HOOKER

BORN: 21/02/1998

HEIGHT: 1.87 m

WEIGHT: 105KG

CARLU SADIE

PROP

BORN: 07/05/1997

HEIGHT: 1.82 m

WEIGHT: 138KG

RENIEL HUGO

LOCK

BORN: 19/07/1995

HEIGHT: 1.97m

GERBRANDT GROBLER

LOCK

DYLAN RICHARDSON

WEIGHT: 111KG

VINCENT TSHITUKA

FLANK

BORN: 10/09.1998

HEIGHT: 1.95 m

WEIGHT: 107KG

CURWIN BOSCH

BORN: 25/06/1997

CELL C SHARKS VS ULSTER 16

HEIGHT: 1.81 m WEIGHT: 85KG

BORN: 06/02/1992

HEIGHT: 2.01 m

WEIGHT: 119KG

BORN: 15/01/1999

HEIGHT: 1.83 m

WEIGHT: 110KG

PHEPSI BUTHELEZI

EIGHTH MAN

BORN: 27/03/1992

HEIGHT: 1.92m WEIGHT: 107KG

GRANT WILLIAMS

SCRUM-HALF

BORN: 22/07/1996

HEIGHT: 1.4m

WEIGHT: 77KG

THAAKIR ABRAHAMS

FLANK FLYHALF

ROHAN JANSE VAN RENSBURG

WING CENTRE

BORN:10/01/2000

HEIGHT: 1.75 m

WEIGHT: 75KG

BORN: 11/09/1994

HEIGHT: 1.85 m

WEIGHT: 109KG

CELL C SHARKS PLAYER PROFILES

FRANCOIS VENTER

BORN: 19/04/1991

HEIGHT: 1.85 m WEIGHT: 93KG

WERNER KOK

BORN: 17/01/1993

HEIGHT: 1.79 m

WEIGHT: 94KG

BOETA CHAMBERLAIN

BORN: 22/02/1999

HEIGHT: 1.81 m

WEIGHT: 86KG

BORN: 02/08/1999

HEIGHT: 1.82 m

107KG BORN: 05/08/1999 HEIGHT: 1.76 m

WEIGHT: 110KG

HANRU JACOBS

BORN: 14/03/2000

HEIGHT: 1.86 m

WEIGHT: 120KG

CAMERON WRIGHT

BORN: 12/04/1994

WEIGHT: 92KG

BORN: 08/08/2000

HEIGHT: 1.98 m

BORN: 28/05/1993

HEIGHT: 1.86 m

HEIGHT: 1.81 m

LIONEL CRONJE

WEIGHT: 105KG WEIGHT: 108KG CENTRE

ULSTER

MIKE LOWRY

CRAIG GILROY

LUKE MARSHALL

STEWART MOORE

AARON SEXTON

JAKE FLANNERY

JOHN COONEY

DUAN VERMEULEN (C)

NICK TIMONEY

JORDI MURPHY

HARRY SHERIDAN

ALAN O'CONNOR

JEFF TOOMAGA-ALLEN

JOHN ANDREW

RORY SUTHERLAND

TOM STEWART

ANDY WARWICK

GARETH MILASINOVICH

CORMAC IZUCHUKWU

DAVE MCCANN

DAVE SHANAHAN

IAN MADIGAN

ETHAN MCILROY

ASSISTANT REFEREES

GRIFFIN COLBY & CWENGILE JADEZWENI

TMO

ANDREW MCMENEMY

HEAD COACH

DAN MCFARLAND

MANAGER

NIGEL BRADY

ULSTER PLAYER PROFILES

RORY SUTHERLAND

BORN:15/03/1994

HEIGHT: 1.83 m

WEIGHT: 113KG

JOHN ANDREW

BORN:26/05/1993

HEIGHT: 1.80m

WEIGHT: 99KG

JEFF TOOMAGA-ALLEN

PROP

BORN:19/11/1990

HEIGHT: 1.92 m

WEIGHT: 125KG

ALAN O'CONNOR

BORN:10/09/1992

HEIGHT: 1.96 m

WEIGHT: 111KG

HARRY SHERIDAN

LOCK

BORN:21/09/2001

HEIGHT:1.96 m

WEIGHT: 111 KG

JORDI MURPHY

FLANK

BORN: 22/04/1991

HEIGHT: 1.88 m

WEIGHT: 106KG

NICK TIMONEY

FLANK

BORN: 1/08/1995

HEIGHT: 1.88m

WEIGHT: 114KG

DUAN VERMEULEN (C)

EIGHTH MAN

BORN: 3/07/1986

HEIGHT: 1.93m

WEIGHT: 119KG

JOHN COONEY

SCRUMHALF

BORN: 1/05/1990

HEIGHT: 1.78m

WEIGHT: 86KG

AARON SEXTON JAKE FLANNERY

FLYHALF

BORN: 7/06/1999

HEIGHT: 1.83m

WEIGHT: 91KG

BORN: 24/08/2000

HEIGHT: 1.88m

WEIGHT: 94KG

STEWART MOORE

BORN: 8/08/1999

HEIGHT: 1.83 m

WEIGHT: 91KG

LUKE MARSHALL

CENTRE

BORN:03/03/1991

HEIGHT: 1.80 m

ULSTER PLAYER PROFILES

WEIGHT: 92KG

CRAIG GILROY

WING

BORN:11/03/1991

HEIGHT: 1.83m

WEIGHT: 93KG

MIKE LOWRY

FULL BACK

BORN:20/08/1998

HEIGHT: 1.70m

WEIGHT: 79KG

TOM STEWART

ANDY WARWICK

PROP HOOKER

BORN: 11/01/2001

HEIGHT: 1.83 m

WEIGHT: 103KG

BORN: 12/03/1991

HEIGHT: 1.78 m

WEIGHT: 116KG

GARETH MILASINOVICH

PROP

BORN: 15/12/1992

HEIGHT:1.91m

WEIGHT: 130KG

CORMAC IZUCHUKWU

LOCK

BORN:28/01/2000

HEIGHT: 2.01 m

WEIGHT: 114KG

DAVE MCCANN

LOOSE FORWARD

BORN: 20/06/2000

HEIGHT: 1.93m

WEIGHT: 108KG

DAVE SHANAHAN

SCRUM-HALF

BORN: 20/06/1993

HEIGHT: 1.75m

WEIGHT: 77KG

IAN MADIGAN

FLYHALF

BORN: 21/03/1989

HEIGHT: 1.78m

WEIGHT: 91KG

ETHAN MCILROY

FLANK

BORN: 10/08/2000

HEIGHT: 1.88m

WEIGHT: 85KG

2023 KEARSNEY EASTER RUGBY FESTIVAL

The 2023 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival is set to once again thrill supporters of exciting and fast-paced schoolboy rugby.

The three play days - Thursday 6, Saturday 8 and Monday 10 April – promise mouthwatering clashes between some of the country’s top-ranked rugby schools. The festival will take place in the magnificent grounds of Kearsney College, halfway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

Powerhouse teams Hoërskool Monument from Krugersdorp, Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen from Boksburg and Hoërskool Noord-Kaap from Kimberley, will be joined by the Eastern Cape’s Dale College, Hoërskool Framesby and Hoër Landbouskool Marlow (from Cradock), as well as Worcester Gimnasium from the Western Cape. Also participating will be four prominent KwaZulu-Natal teams, Glenwood, Westville Boys’ High, Durban High School and hosts Kearsney College; together with Hartpury College from the United Kingdom, the ACE League champions.

The Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival has established itself as one of the country’s premier schoolboy rugby events and is one of the most highly-anticipated events on the schoolboy rugby calendar. The continued participation of this calibre of team highlights the festival’s prestigious status amongst players, coaches and supporters.

Four primary school teams and an U13 development team have also been invited to be a part of the action, playing the curtain-raiser on each day. They are Highbury Prep, Hillcrest Senior Primary, Westville Senior Primary and Umhlali Prep, as well as the KZNRU Ibutho /Mark Godefroy team.

The festival is again brought to you by Standard Bank, with incredible support from The Sharks and Halfway Ford.

Numerous food outlets, a refreshment tent, an extensive KidZone and ample parking ensure that spectators can fully enjoy the wonderful rugby on display and the special family atmosphere on Botha’s Hill.

MAJOR MATCHUP BUTHELEZI V VERMEULEN

It is captain versus captain at No 8 today.

At only 23 years of age, Phepsi Buthelezi is 13 years younger than Duane Vermeulen, his direct opposite, yet the Cell C Sharks No 8 has, since his introduction to the big stage four years ago, consistently performed with the same dedication and drive as his illustrious Ulster and Springbok counterpart. This has backed up the view that Buthelezi is destined to attain great heights in the game.

The Hluhluwe-born prodigy has knuckled down to perform so effectively in the Cell C Sharks back row, every week without exception, that he is regularly entrusted with the reins of captain, and his leadership capability has come shining through on each occasion.

Duane Vermeulen is not nicknamed ‘Thor’ for nothing. Like the Marvel Comics superhero, portrayed by the Duane Vermeulen-looking Chris Hemsworth, the Ulster and Bok No 8 has for the past decade performed heroic acts of massive proportions on the rugby paddocks of the world. His powerful, thrustful carries during the RWC final of 2019 in Japan earned him the Man of the Match award as South Africa surged to a comprehensive 32-12 win against England.

Having scooped a second SA Player of the Year award in 2020, this Bok bruiser has accumulated 65 test caps, at 36 years of age, and is regarded as a key member of the Ulster pack.

FACTS, STATS & TRIVIA

FROM KINGSPAN TO KINGS PARK, WELCOME TO THE TANK!

Four months since this fixture, originally scheduled for Oc-tober last year, had to be cancelled, Kingspan-based Ulster arrive at Hollywoodbets Kings Park to confront the men in black - for the very first time, in The Shark Tank!

Did you know that…

* Ulster Rugby’s history stretches back as far as 1868, when the Belfastbased Northern Ireland FC started playing rugby in the province. The official provincial branches of Ulster, Leinster and Munster were established 11 years later, in 1879;

* Ulster have, for the past 100 years, played their home games at Ravenhill Stadium, known for sponsorship reasons as Kingspan Stadium;

* In the professional era, Ulster became the first Irish outfit to clinch the Heineken Cup, seeing off French-based US Colomiers 21-6 in the 1999 final at Lansdowne Road, Dublin;

* Ulster were crowned Celtic League champions in 2006;

* Over the past couple of decades a number of South Africans have starred for Ulster, including former Sharks’ icons like Ruan Pienaar, Johann Muller and Marcell Coetzee;

* Pienaar is the third-highest points scorer in Ulster history, with a tally of 877, and was voted Player of the Year for the 2010-11 season;

* Ulster have produced more than 30 British & Irish Lions’ representatives, with their most famous son being the legendary Willie-John McBride, who toured five times with the Lions and captained them on their all-conquering safari of South Africa in 1974.

WELCOME TO THE SHARKS ACADEMY

THE SHARKS ACADEMY IS A WORLD-CLASS SOCCER AND RUGBY ACADEMY WHICH IS BACKED BY STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHARKS.

@THESHARKSACADEMY

@SHARKSACADEMY

@SHARKS_ACADEMY

VODACOM UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES / RESULTS

ZEBRE VS CELL C SHARKS

DRAGONS VS CELL C SHARKS

LEINSTER VS CELL C SHARKS

CELL C SHARKS VS GLASGOW WARRIORS | 40-12

CELL C SHARKS VS ULSTER | POSTPONED

CELL C SHARKS VS CARDIFF RUGBY | 0 - 35

CELL C SHARKS VS OSPREYS | 25-10

CELL C SHARKS VS EMIRATES LIONS | 37-10

CELL C SHARKS VS VODACOM BULLS | 47-20

CONNACHT RUGBY VS CELL C SHARKS | 24-12

EDINBURGH VS CELL C SHARKS | 19-22

CELL C SHARKS VS DHL STORMERS | 46-19

VODACOM BULLS VS CELL C SHARKS

EMIRATES LIONS VS CELL C SHARKS | 7-29

DHL STORMERS VS CELL C SHARKS

SCARLETS VS CELL C SHARKS

CELL C SHARKS VS BENETTON RUGBY

AWAY STADIO LANFRANCHI

AWAY RODNEY PARADE

AWAY RDS ARENA

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

AWAY THE SPORTS GROUND

AWAY DAM HEALTH STADIUM

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

AWAY LOFTUS VERSFELD STADIUM

AWAY EMIRATES AIRLINE PARK

AWAY DHL STADIUM

AWAY PARC Y SCARLETS

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

R0UND 18

CELL C SHARKS VS MUNSTER

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

CELL

VODACOM UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP CURRENT LOG

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