Cell C Sharks looking for eighth semi-final

Cell C Sharks will play in their 14th Vodacom Super Rugby knock-out match, when they host the Highlanders in the second Qualifier for 2014 at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban on Saturday afternoon.

The newly-crowned South African Conference champions are one of the most successful teams in the history of the competition when it comes to reaching the playoff rounds, although they are yet to take the trophy back to Durban.

Vodacom Bulls (including Northern Transvaal) have reached 11 playoffs and won the competition three times, followed by DHL Stormers (six playoffs), Cats (two) and Toyota Cheetahs (one).

This will be the third year since the expansion of Vodacom Super Rugby from 14 to 15 teams in 2011 that the Cell C Sharks have made the top six.

For their opponents on Saturday though, this will be their sixth playoff in Vodacom Super Rugby, but perhaps more tellingly is the fact that they last featured in the knockout phase of the competition in 2002.

The first Qualifier on Saturday will see a replay of last year’s Final between the Brumbies and the Chiefs, champions in 2012 and 2013. This time however, the match will take place in Canberra, where the Chiefs’ last win was in 2008 and the Brumbies have won seven of their eight home matches this year.

Cell C Sharks vs Highlanders

On Saturday, the only team this year to deny the Cell C Sharks a solitary log point in any of their 16 Vodacom Super Rugby matches to date, the Highlanders, return to Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban for the second Qualifier of 2014.

The men from Otago are also the only team this year to cross the KwaZulu-Natalians’ tryline four times. That happened in their Round 11, when the Highlanders caused a major upset by beating the Cell C Sharks by 34-18.

It was only their third victory in eight matches in Durban since the inception of the competition, and although the Highlanders will be playing in a Vodacom Super Rugby playoff match for the first time in 12 years, they will be confident when they face the Cell C Sharks this weekend.

But knock-outs are different. There are no bonus points at stake and all that matters in the end, is getting more points than your opponent.

And while the Cell C Sharks might not have set the world alight with their attack this year, there is no denying that they had the best defence in the competition – they have conceded only 22 tries in their 16 pool matches, while the next best is 24 conceded by the table-topping Waratahs.

On the other hand, the Highlanders’ defence has been joint second worst in the competition, with 52 tries leaked (the same as the Reds with only the Toyota Cheetahs’ 59 a worst defensive record).

Highlanders have included JP Koen on their bench for this match. He is a former Valke u.19 and u.20 front ranker who matriculated from Springs Technical High School. He moved to New Zealand a decade ago and plays his provincial rugby for Southland.

The teams are:

Cell C Sharks: SP Marais, S’bura Sithole, JP Pietersen, Paul Jordaan, Lwazi Mvovo, Frans Steyn, Cobus Reinach, Ryan Kankowski, Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Stephan Lewies, Anton Bresler, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis (captain), Thomas du Toit. Replacements: Kyle Cooper, Dale Chadwick, Lourens Adriaanse, Ettienne Oosthuizen, Jean Deysel, Charl McLeod, Pat Lambie, Tonderai Chavhanga.

Highlanders: Ben Smith (co-captain), Richard Buckman, Malakai Fekitoa, Phil Burleigh, Patrick Osborne, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Nasi Manu (co-captain), Shane Christie, Elliot Dixon, Joe Wheeler, Jarrad Hoeata, Chris King, Ged Robinson, Kane Hames. Replacements: Liam Coltman, Matias Diaz, JP Koen, Josh Bekhuis, Tom Franklin, Fumiaki Tanaka, Trent Renata, Gareth Evans.