HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS ZEBRE PARMA APRIL 7 2024

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS

Thula Mkhize, 38 | Fleet Specialist / Identical Twin / Lucky no.8

EPCR WELCOME MESSAGE

A warm welcome to this Round of 16 match in the 2023/24 EPCR Challenge Cup as competition for a coveted place at the London Finals weekend really begins to intensify.

Following a compelling series of pool stage fixtures which saw Investec, the leading international bank and wealth manager, and Georgia Rugby Marketing Hub both coming on board as official tournament partners, the knockout stage generates its very own brand of high-stakes rugby and it’s win or bust now for the clubs which remain in contention to reach the EPCR Challenge Cup final at the state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday 24 May.

The clubs with the highest rankings from the pool stage earn home advantage in the Round of 16 and quarter-final matches, and five former tournament winners with a total of 10 Challenge Cup titles between booked their places in the knockout stage including Aviron Bayonnais, Sale Sharks, Connacht Rugby and Ulster Rugby who all qualified from the Investec Champions Cup.

“When we bought our house, Investec offered us 100% financing. Now, that’s Private Banking.”

If you earn R800 000 or more per year, upgrade to Investec Private Banking.

We are delighted to be joined on the journey to London by our official partners, Investec, DHL, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Georgia Rugby Marketing Hub, by our official supporters, Tissot, Gilbert and Kappa, and also by our official airline partner in South Africa, Qatar Airways.

Viaplay in the UK and Ireland, beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions in France, as well as SuperSport in South Africa, continue to provide cutting edge broadcast coverage, while S4C in Wales and FloRugby in the USA and Canada are showcasing the EPCR Challenge Cup to more viewers than ever across the world.

We hope that you enjoy the match and we take this opportunity to send our best wishes to you, the fans, to your club’s players and staff, and of course to our match officials, as we anticipate the ecstasy and occasional agony that go hand-in-hand with knockout rugby.

Yours in rugby,

Dominic McKay, EPCR Chairman

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MATCH PREVIEW

“WE ARE THE COMPETITION”…

WORDS: ALBERT HEENOP

The Hollywoodbets Sharks have recently been compared to a Ferrari and, come to think of it, as the men in black are about to resume their European quest today against Italian outfit, Zebre Parma, there are quite a few pertinent similarities between the two world-famous brands…

The slogan of Ferrari, the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer, is “We are the Competition”, and it reflects Ferrari’s focus on innovation, excellence and pushing the boundaries of automotive engineering.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks share the exact same values on the rugby front.

Through fostering integrity and excellence, the Hollywoodbets Sharks offer individuals the opportunity to express themselves, reach their full potential and, most importantly, become part of something far greater.

It is all about leaving a lasting legacy. This is achieved through fierce passion, courage and the domination of a domain that most people would have thought unconquerable.

For the famous red-car company, that domain was the racetrack on which they competed; for the men in black, it

is the European stage on which they are currently competing.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks are today proceeding with their quest to not only reign supreme in the EPCR Challenge Cup but, in that way, also qualify for next season’s Investec Champions Cup.

Therefore this afternoon’s Round of 16 encounter with Zebre Parma is a momentous occasion for John Plumtree’s charges.

They are entering the fray today on the back of two magnificent, back-to-back victories in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, over top teams like Ulster and Edinburgh.

“I am really proud of what we have achieved over the past two weeks; it set us up beautifully,” Plumtree observed.

“It took a massive team effort, but now we can go into this Challenge Cup game with a lot of confidence.

“Confidence cannot be underestimated. We are working incredibly hard, the leaders in the group are keeping everyone grounded and we know what this week means to us.

“And, to see the boys arrive at the practice ground with smiles on their faces was simply fantastic.

“It is crucial that we keep building that confidence. We have a good squad, the majority of players are back to full fitness and we know exactly what is required for us to do well in this important part of the season.

“The success of the past fortnight has created certain selection issues, but we love that. It’s a great ‘problem’ to have and serves to strengthen our bench.

“We just want to keep winning and see where we land.

THE SUCCESS OF THE PAST FORTNIGHT HAS CREATED CERTAIN SELECTION ISSUES,..

“We realise that we have let a lot of folk down, and we aim to win those people back. The only way to do it is on the field.”

According to https://italysegreta.com/, “Ferrari fans are referred to as ‘Tifosi’, and it doesn’t matter who is behind the wheel, if they win or lose, the racing team is like a football team which you follow with blind faith, no questions asked.”

The same can be said of the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ faithful, with one of the most significant reasons for this being the brand's proud rugby heritage and continuous commitment to achieving high-performance excellence.

It is more than a jersey; it’s a legacy.

ROAD TO THE PLAYOFFS

The EPCR Challenge Cup knockout stage has arrived, with 16 clubs vying for a berth in the final of one of rugby’s most exciting club competitions - to be staged at the iconic Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on May 24. Here is the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ passage to today’s Round of 16 clash with Zebre Parma…

The Durban-based franchise won three of their first four fixtures in the EPCR Challenge Cup to top Pool 1 with 17 championship points, five clear of the secondplaced Section Paloise. They couldn’t have wished for a more impressive start to their campaign than the 40-point romp against Pau last December.

Beat Pau 45-5, Durban, December 9

The Hollywoodbets Sharks were so hot on this occasion that one of the electronic advertisement boards in The Shark Tank caught fire!

The World Cup-winning Springboks led the way, with Lukhanyo Am, who played a true captain’s innings, and bruiser Eben Etzebeth both recording a brace of tries, while Bok flyer, Makazole Mapimpi, also ran in a try.

The home side, with coach John Plumtree in the process of introducing a more attacking playing pattern, outscored French club, Pau, by six tries to one, despite occasional downpours and typical Durban humidity making for tough playing conditions.

“It’s not easy for the Boks to return from the World Cup and slot back in at club level, but they are starting to lead and inspire the others,” Plumtree observed.

“I was pleased with the front-foot ball that we created and how we dominated territory, although the last 20 minutes were disappointing when we switched off and the game fizzled out.”

Lost to Cheetahs 29-32, Bloemfontein, December 17

As has been the case oftentimes over the past few months, the Hollywoodbets Sharks did all but win, eventually going down by the narrowest of margins to the potent Cheetahs in an absolute thriller.

The home side drew first blood, but the Hollywoodbets Sharks responded in powerful fashion through Etzebeth crossing the line on the back of a lethal lineout drive.

The Cheetahs scored another try and a penalty goal by veteran sharpshooter, Ruan Pienaar, afforded them a 15-7 lead at the break.

Again, the Durban-based side struck back at their hosts in what would turn out to be a humdinger of a second half, with tries going to Francois Venter and Grant Williams. Curwin Bosch converted the latter and added a penalty goal for the Hollywoodbets Sharks to attain a 22-18 lead after an hour.

The ding-dong battle continued a couple of minutes later with a third Cheetahs try, but another two minutes later Bosch kick-passed for Mapimpi to score the bonus-point try and regain a 29-25 lead, with 15 minutes left.

The Cheetahs, though, were not accepting defeat and managed to clinch the contest with their fourth try in the final five minutes.

Beat US Oyonnax 38-7, Durban, January 13

A Priceless platform for the path ahead. That’s how director of rugby, Neil Powell, described this handsome home win with which the Hollywoodbets Sharks already qualified for the Challenge Cup knockouts.

“This win provides a good foundation for us to build on. The Hollywoodbets Sharks drive hard standards, and, hopefully, this was a turning point for us,” Powell said.

Powerhouse prop, Ox Nché not only delivered yet another forceful display at scrum time but also weighed in with two of his side’s six tries and was deservedly named Man of the Match, while Makazole Mapimpi, also recorded a brace of tries.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks started rather tentatively, with Oyonnax enjoying almost 70 percent territory during the first quarter, and were reduced to defence during this passage. However, three tries before the break ensured a handy 19-0 lead and captain, Lukhanyo Am, crossed shortly after halftime for the bonus point try.

When Oyonnax conceded a yellow card, the home side nailed their coffin shut with two more tries.

Young Jeandré Labuschagne and Phepsi Buthelezi, together with veteran Gerbrandt Grobler, were the standout forwards, while the sticky conditions largely prevented innovative backplay.

Beat Dragons 29-9, Newport, January 21

The Hollywoodbets Sharks built on their home win against Oyonnax in stirring fashion by seeing off the Dragons by five tries to nil in a crucial away assignment in Wales.

Ox Nché again found himself amongst the try-scorers, with three of their five tries being scored in the last 10 minutes of the contestsignifying a really strong finish by the tourists.

Full-back Cai Evans, the son of legendary Lions and Welsh winger, Ieuan Evans, contributed all of the Dragons’ points through three penalty goals, but it was a huge credit to the defensive character of the Hollywoodbets Sharks that the Welshmen could not score a single try on their home patch.

With this resounding away win, the Durbanites secured pole position in Pool 1 of the Challenge Cup.

APHELELE FASSI

WERNER KOK

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS

ZEBRE PARMA

HEAD COACH

JOHN PLUMTREE

MANAGER

TREVOR BARNES

LUKHANYO AM

APHELELE FASSI

WERNER KOK

LUKHANYO AM ( C )

ETHAN HOOKER

MAKAZOLE MAPIMPI

SIYA MASUKU

JADEN HENDRIKSE

PHEPSI BUTHELEZI

VINCENT TSHITUKA

JAMES VENTER

EMILE VAN HEERDEN

CORNE’ RAHL

VINCENT KOCH

BONGI MBONAMBI

OX NCHE

KERRON VAN VUUREN

NTUTHUKO MCHUNU

HANRO JACOBS

GERBRANDT GROBLER

LAPPIES LABUSCHAGNE

GRANT WILLIAMS

CURWIN BOSCH

FRANCOIS VENTER

LORENZO PANI

PIERRE BRUNO

FRANCO SMITH JR

DAMIANO MAZZA

SIMONE GESI

TIFF EDEN

ALESSANDRO FUSCO

DAVIDE RUGGERI

JOSH KAIFA

GUIDO VOLPI

ANDREA ZAMBONIN

DAVID SISI (C)

JUAN PITINARI

GIAMPIETRO RIBALDI

DANILO FISCHETTI

LUCA BIGI

LUCA RIZZOLI

ION NECULAI

LEONARD KRUMOV

GIOVANNI LICATA

THOMAS DOMINGUEZ

JACOPO TRULLA

KICK OFF 16H00

REFEREE

ANTHONY WOODTHORPE

BAUTISTA STAVILE HEAD COACH FABIO

ASSISTANT REFEREES

TOM FOLEY & ADAM LEAL

TMO

LUKE PEARCE

ROSELLI MANAGER

TOMMASO BRICOLI

ZEBRE PARMA PLAYER PROFILES

DANILO FISCHETTI

BORN: 26/01/1998

HEIGHT:1.81 m

WEIGHT: 112KG

DAVID SISI (C)

BORN: 05/02/1993

HEIGHT: 1.95 m

WEIGHT: 125KG

JOSH KAIFA

BORN: 21/07/1992 HEIGHT: 1.88m WEIGHT: 110KG

GIAMPIETRO RIBALDI

BORN: 12/03/1997

HEIGHT: 1.86m

ZEBRE PARMA PLAYER PROFILES

FRANCO SMITH JR

CENTRE

PIERRE BRUNO

WING

LORENZO PANI

FULL BACK

BORN: 03/09/2000

HEIGHT: 2.02 m

WEIGHT: 110KG WEIGHT: 118KG

ANDREA ZAMBONIN

WEIGHT: 105KG

DAVIDE RUGGERI

BORN: 07/05/1999

HEIGHT: 1.89 m

WEIGHT: 109KG

BORN: 18/01/1995 HEIGHT: 1.87 m

BORN: 03/05/2000

HEIGHT: 1.82 m

WEIGHT: 96KG

LUCA BIGI

HOOKER

BORN: 19/04/1991

HEIGHT: 1.82m

WEIGHT: 106KG

ALESSANDRO FUSCO

SCRUMHALF

BORN: 28/10/1999

HEIGHT: 1.85m

WEIGHT: 88KG

LEONARD KRUMOV

LOCK

BORN: 01/05/1996

HEIGHT: 1.98m

WEIGHT: 120KG

BORN: 28/06/1996

HEIGHT: 1.78m

WEIGHT: 92KG

LUCA RIZZOLI

PROP

BORN: 03/05/2002

HEIGHT: 1.73m

WEIGHT: 100KG

GIOVANNI LICATA

LOOSE FORWARD

BORN: 18/02/1997

HEIGHT: 1.92m

WEIGHT: 111KG

JACOPO TRULLA

FLYHALF

BORN: 05/07/2000

HEIGHT: 1.81m

WEIGHT: 83KG

BORN: 04/07/2002

HEIGHT: 1.93m

WEIGHT: 96KG

ION NECULAI

PROP

BORN: 25/01/2001

HEIGHT: 1.89m

WEIGHT: 132KG

THOMAS DOMINGUEZ

SCRUM-HALF

BORN: 18/12/1999

HEIGHT: 1.75m

WEIGHT: 79KG

BAUTISTA STAVILE

FLANK

BORN: 22/02/1997

HEIGHT: 1.83m

WEIGHT: 100KG

MAJOR MATCHUP FASSI VS PANNI

Aphelele Fassi is described, on the website of Roc Nation, as “undoubtedly one of the most prodigiously talented young players in South African rugby, with his natural talent, skill and agility bringing fireworks to the field.”

The Hollywoodbets Sharks fullback has certainly provided plenty of fireworks over the past fortnight on the Vodacom URC stage and seems to be getting right back to his brilliant, Bok best.

Against Ulster, Fassi scooped up a loose ball right in front of his posts and banged it 75 metres downtown, an instinctive kick that led to a vital try by Phepsi Buthelezi.

And, last week, he set the match against Edinburgh alight in the first half when he outwitted half a dozen defenders from 60 metres out, with a lethal combination of sheer pace and phenomenal footwork, for a sensational solo try.

At only 21 years of age, Lorenzo Pani is one of the brightest young prospects in Italian rugby.

He was at fullback for Italy last month, when the Azzurri stunned Wales in Cardiff and also scored a try in the historic 24-14 Six Nations triumph.

Pani signed with Benetton three years ago, ahead of the 2021–22 URC, before joining forces with Zebre Parma the following season.

He represented Italy U20, prior to being selected by Kieran Crowley as part of Italy's 33-man squad for last year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

With impressive attacking ability, Panni also featured for Italy Sevens at the 2023 Rugby Europe Sevens Championship Series.

STATS & TRIVIA

SHARKS SETTING THE STANDARD FACTS,

A quick glance at the EPCR Challenge Cup stats indicates that the Hollywoodbets Sharks are perfectly poised to stamp their authority on the “Road to the Final”…

Did you know:

* The Hollywoodbets Sharks did not only finish top of Pool 1, having won three out of four matches, but they also recorded the most tries (21) in the competition to date and are a close second, after Benetton (147), in terms of points, with a tally of 141.

* The Durban-based outfit also boast a tackle success rate of 90% and have made 1793 metres, both of which place them in the top five of the competition.

* Individually, Makazole Mapimpi is joint second amongst the top try scorers, having dotted down four times so far, and is also joint third, together with team-mate Grant Williams, with six clean breaks.

* The flamboyant “Weekend Special”, Aphelele Fassi, has made 320 metres from fullback and offloaded the ball on nine occasions, placing him third and second in those respective categories.

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