PREVIEW: THE CELL C SHARKS VS REBELS
The Cell C Sharks are back in Durban in high spirits after returning from tour with a hard-fought victory over the Reds in Brisbane last week, looking forward to hosting the Rebels at Growthpoint KINGS PARK tonight.
The Rebels come to Durban with a desire to upset the history books, not having won in South Africa to date nor having defeated the Cell C Sharks since the inception of Vodacom Super Rugby’s expansion to 16 teams in 2011.
The two teams have met three times with the Cell C Sharks winning all three; the last time the teams clashed at Growthpoint KINGS PARK, the home side scored a 10 try, 64-7 victory over the Rebels.
However, this is a vastly different team to then and they have developed and grown. This season has been their best and they have been serious contenders for a top six finish at times.
The match kicks off tonight at 7.10pm.
They Said It:
“They’re a more improved team over the last couple of years, they pose similar threats to the Reds, they have big strong running backs and an outstanding back row. They’re playing with four open side flanks so the breakdown area is going to be huge and they are very well coached, you can see that in terms of their structures. Once they get into phase play, they look after the ball. That’s why they’ve had the results they have, against some very good teams.
“We’re going to have our work cut out for us, they’ve had some big victories this year, they’ve beaten the Waratahs, the Crusaders away, these are some big scalps and they’re not a team to take lightly. It’s going to be a tough game.”
Director of Rugby Gary Gold
“The Rebels are a good outfit and a very well coached team. They proved that at times this year – they’ve had some good victories over the top sides and their performance against the Stormers last weekend was positive although they would have liked a win. They’re going to come here hoping to finish their tour on a good note and we’re under no illusions of what they are capable of. We have to be on top of our game and just make sure we do the things we are doing well and do that consistently.”
Assistant coach Sean Everitt
“The rebels are very similar to all Australian sides, they hold onto the ball really well and compete well when they don’t have the ball, so we’re going to have to be very clinical at the breakdowns if we want to keep possession. We’ve worked hard on defence, it’s an area that we’ve given a lot of attention to in the last couple of weeks. The Australian sides, as we know, are very good with ball in hand so we are just going to try and eliminate them on defence – that’s what will win us the game this weekend.”
Flyhalf Lionel Cronje
“It was crucial for us to get a win before we came home. The pressure is always on you in a Sharks jersey, especially when the team is not performing. We were on a losing streak so it was a vital win for us. We’re very excited about being back at home and hopefully getting a win before a week off.”
Captain Marco Wentzel
Previous Results:
2014: Cell C Sharks 22-16 Rebels (Melbourne)
2013: Cell C Sharks 64-7 Rebels (Durban)
2012: Did Not Play
2011: Cell C Sharks 34-22 Rebels (Melbourne)
Courtesy of The Sharks
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