“We have a specific game model that we trust and believe in,” Whitely explained, “and we want to keep it simple. But it’s really all about cohesion, guys playing together and finding combinations that work best for the team.”Īlthough the weather in Ireland can be wet, for the Cell C Sharks, it’s more about how they want to play, rather than being dictated to by good or bad weather.

“And we have our Springboks as well as guys coming back from injury who will join the squad. “What’s most important for us is the cohesion of the players which is really important and that does take time, especially in a loose trio and they’ll find each other the more they play together. “As coaches, we’re really excited with what we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, it’s been phenomenal, and we know there’s going to be even more improvement in that department as we progress in the competition. With a Cell C Sharks loose-forward trio that leans towards mobility and athleticism, rather than big, heavy ball-carriers, Notshe fits the bill perfectly, alongside flankers James Venter and Dylan Richardson. There are just two changes to the starting line-up, both rotational, with Hyron Andrews and Reniel Hugo swapping jersey numbers in the second row, likewise Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Phepsi Buthelezi at eighthman.

“However, we haven’t reached the standards we’ve set for ourselves so there is an emphasis on improvements.” It’s still early in the competition and the Cell C Sharks know they are not yet the finished product, but there is regular and meaningful improvement each week.Īssistant coach Warren Whiteley, speaking from the team’s base this week admitted that, “We’ve been working really hard over the last two weeks or so, we were disappointed in certain aspects of play in the first game particularly, but we felt we made improvements against the Dragons. The Cell C Sharks take an almost unchanged line-up into Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against Leinster, as they look to finish their three match European tour on a high.

Nott the brave line drawing