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.

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.