CELL C SHARKS VS DHL WESTERN PROVINCE MARCH 26 2023

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

ON TO THE NEXT ONE

CELL C SHARKS

DHL WESTERN PROVINCE KICK-OFF 14H00 VS

CHANGING THE GAME

is a team effort.

SIYA KOLISI - RUGBY

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

CELL C PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE SHARKS

MATCH PREVIEW

GETTING BACK ON TRACK, BACK AT HOME…

It might only be Round 3 of this year’s Currie Cup competition, yet the stakes couldn’t be any higher for the Cell C Sharks as they welcome the high-riding WP to Hollywoodbets Kings Park this afternoon…

While all eyes were on the Cell C Sharks URC team in action against Scarlets in Llanelli, Wales, last night, the focus has now shifted back to The Shark Tank where Joey Mongalo’s Currie Cup charges are hosting Western Province today - in what has shaped up as a crucial assignment for the home side.

The visitors from Cape Town are, together with the defending champions, the Pumas, and Cheetahs, still unbeaten in this year’s edition of the domestic showpiece, and, therefore, setting the early pace in the tournament.

Western Province underlined this in no uncertain fashion at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria last Friday night, when they fought back courageously to see off the Bulls 41-33.

The Cell C Sharks, on the other hand, came unstuck during the second half in Kimberley on Sunday, after an impressive opening spell and having led 28-10 at the half, to eventually lose 40-48 to Griquas.

Needless to say, there has been a fair amount of soul-searching conducted on the training track this week to figure out where things went wrong for the Cell C Sharks during the second spell at Kimberley, as well as the necessary strategic planning with a view to effectively meeting the challenge posed by Province today.

With 10 rounds left to play, it is still early days as far as the 2023 Currie Cup season is concerned, yet it is vital for the Cell C Sharks, especially at home, to get back on the winning track as soon as possible and to start building some serious momentum in the competition.

WORDS: ALBERT HEENOP

As things stand currently on the Currie Cup table, the Durban-based side, having won one from two, are lying fourth, behind the unbeaten Cheetahs, Pumas and WP.

Complicating matters further is the fact that Mongalo has had to relinquish certain players to the URC squad for last night’s outing in Wales, but that, unfortunately, is the harsh reality of professional rugby these days - with three competitions having to be negotiated concurrently.

Finding that all important cohesion, as a unit, has now become priority No 1 for the men in black and white, though, and they will be keen to find exactly that against Province today.

THE NECESSARY STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH A VIEW TO EFFECTIVELY MEETING THE CHALLENGE POSED BY PROVINCE TODAY.

Next week, the Cell C Sharks Currie Cup outfit will head upcountry to take on the Lions in Johannesburg, before returning to Hollywoodbets Kings Park for two consecutive and, indeed, very important home games - against the champion Pumas and Bulls.

Thereafter, in the third week of April, the boys hit the road again to tackle the equally impressive Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

A good win against WP this afternoon will therefore set the Cell C Sharks up perfectly for the long and winding road ahead, as well as provide the necessary impetus for building vital momentum in the Currie Cup.

CELL C SHARKS

DHL WESTERN PROVINCE

SACHA FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU

FAZEEL ROBERTSON

JUAN DE JONGH (C)

BRUCE SHERWOOD

DUNCAN SAAL

KADE WOLHUTER

GODLEN MASIMLA

KEKE MORABE

JUNIOR POKOMELA

PAUL DE VILLIERS

GARY PORTER

CONNOR EVANS

SAZI SANDI

SCARRA NTUBENI

ALI VERMAAK

ANDRE-HUGO VENTER

LEON LYONS

LEE-MARVIN MAZIBUKO

DYLAN DE LEEUW

LOUWAN HORN

ARMAND MARITZ

LABIB KENNEMEYER

EWARD COULSON

ASSISTANT REFEREES

YANGA SOTSHANGANE & SANELE MDLALOSE TMO

HEAD COACH

LABEEB LEVY

MANAGER

LINDSAY BROWN

ZEILINGA V WOLHUTER MAJOR MATCHUP

If it’s experience you’re looking for in the Currie Cup, look no further than Fred Zeilinga.

The 30-year-old Glenwood old boy is back in Durban, where the Currie Cup journey started for him more than 10 years ago. Between then and now, Zeilinga has spent extended playing periods with the Cheetahs, winning the domestic showpiece with the Free Staters in 2016, and the Canon Eagles in Japan.

Having represented the Lions during the inaugural URC tournament, Zeilinga is back in black and white to share his vast experience with the Cell C Sharks in the Currie Cup.

Currently the top points-scorer in the Currie Cup Premier Division, WP flyhalf Kade Wolhuter recorded a try, three conversions and five penalty goals for a personal haul of 26 points in last Friday’s pulsating 41-33 victory over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.

Sidelined for almost a year through a serious knee injury, the 21-year-old is finally realising the massive potential that he exhibited as a schoolboy at Paul Roos Gymnasium.

With a couple of Stormers caps already under his belt, Wolhuter had a brief stint in France with Montpellier, and is renowned for his accuracy with the boot, as well as his playmaking instincts in the stand-off slot.

VS TOYOTA CHEETAHS

NOVAVIT GRIFFONS VS CELL C SHARKS

FIDELITY ADT LIONS VS CELL C SHARKS

DHL WESTERN PROVINCE VS CELL C SHARKS

/ RESULTS

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

AWAY TAFEL LAGER PARK, KIMBERLEY

HOME HOLLYWOODBETS KINGS PARK, DURBAN

TBC

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

APPAREL SPONSOR

STADIUM SPONSOR

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS

MEDIA PARTNERS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS

MEDICAL SPONSORS

DEVELOPMENT SPONSORS

ACADEMY SPONSORS

STADIUM PARTNERS

CLUB COMPETITION SPONSORS

CLUB SPONSORS