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Overview
Season so far
Tournament record
Hooker Niall Scannell, who returns to the Munster Rugby squad this weekend
Cell C Sharks and Munster Rugby meet for the first time in the Heineken Champions Cup on Saturday when they clash in the Round of 16 in Durban, South Africa.
The South African side won their opening three Pool A matches to confirm their qualification for the knockout stages before being beaten 39-29 at Harlequins in Round 4.
Munster, on the other hand, won two and lost two of their games to finish sixth in Pool B. However, they have been boosted by the inclusion of Niall Scannell and Antoine Frisch in their travelling party after both recovered from injuries.
The match at Hollywoodbets Kings Park kicks off at 12.30pm UK and Irish time, and can be watched on SuperSport, BT Sport, beIN SPORTS and FloRugby
Key quotes
Munster head coach Graham Rowntree: “They are a handful aren’t they? Springboks, there’s always a challenge with whatever team you play. We’ve got to be very good to beat this team.”
Cell C Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell: “We will have to come together and ensure we bring a team performance against Munster, and not an individual performance.”
🥊 TIME FOR THE KNOCKOUTS 🥊
Which team has the best run to the #HeinekenChampionsCup Final? pic.twitter.com/HWLOKcaRa8
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) March 27, 2023
Cell C Sharks
- Jaden Henrikse has made more kicks which have been retained than any other player with 14. The Sharks have retained the most kicks in the Heineken Champions Cup this season (24).
- Cell C Sharks have maintained the highest rate of gain-line success in the tournament so far with 64%.
- They have been awarded the most penalties in the competition in the maul (eight) but have only scored one maul try this season.
Munster Rugby
- Gavin Coombes has made more tackles than any other player in the Heineken Champions Cup with 67. He has also won seven turnovers.
- Munster have the lowest rate of scrum success in the tournament at 69%. They have also conceded five penalties on their own feed; only Exeter Chiefs have conceded as many.
- Munster have scored as many tries from tap penalties as any other team with four (equalled by Exeter Chiefs)
Cell C Sharks fly-half Curwin Bosch tallied 20 points against Munster
Cell C Sharks produced a devastating second-half performance as they beat Munster Rugby 50-35 in Durban on Saturday to reach the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals in their debut EPCR campaign.
The South African hosts were three points clear at the break amid scores from Jaden Hendrikse and Eben Etzebeth, but they dismantled Munster after the restart as Bongi Mbonambi (2), Werner Kok, Curwin Bosch – who added 15 points from the tee – and Makazola Mapimpi crossed.
Munster had been in contention through tries from Shane Daly and Dave Kilcoyne, but their second-half efforts from Diarmuid Barron, Mike Haley and Fineen Wycherley were mere consolations.
Cell C Sharks drew first blood on a sunny afternoon as fly-half Bosch dispatched a penalty following a lineout infringement from Munster.
But the Irish province responded on their first attack, creating space out wide with a simple backs move before wing Daly stepped inside and finished in a hugely encouraging moment for his side.
Here comes the hotstepper 🔥🔥
Outrageous feet from @Makazole16 and Jaden Hendrikse is on his shoulder to touch down 🏉@SharksRugby regain the lead 🦈#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/WOcNv3Nd4Q
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 1, 2023
Fly-half Jack Crowley’s conversion put Munster four points up, and that gap would remain as Bosch was off target with a long-range penalty shortly after the restart.
Cell C Sharks were back in front on 15 minutes, though, as wing Mapimpi produced a brilliant step to evade a handful of Munster defenders before feeding fellow EPCR Player of the Year nominee Hendrikse, who had the legs to get over.
There was a blow for Cell C Sharks as Hendrikse injured himself when grounding and was forced off, but they continued to wrestle control of the contest and another EPCR Player of Year nominee was on the scoresheet as lock Etzebeth powered over from close range.
Bosch converted to extend the hosts’ lead to 10 points, but Munster battled their way back into the contest and were rewarded when prop Kilcoyne burrowed over on 31 minutes, Crowley converting again.
The sides would remain separated by just three points at the break, but ill-discipline cost Munster at the start of the second half as they conceded three penalties in quick succession and ultimately allowed to Cell C Sharks to set a lineout drive in the corner, hooker Mbonambi crashing over amid the driving maul.
The @SharksRugby are loving life 🦈@wernerkok1 is the latest Shark to cross the line and the hosts are running riot 👏#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/aty14JrRjD
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 1, 2023
Munster capitulated after that score and Mbonambi crossed again in a carbon copy of his first effort four minutes later before wing Kok scythed inside to finish for Cell C Sharks’ fifth try.
Bosch added a sixth when he gathered a loose ball and streaked down the touchline to dive over, converting for a fifth time on the afternoon.
Replacement hooker Barron gave Munster the faintest of hope when he planted down on the hour mark, but as they pushed for a fourth try, Mapimpi siezed possession and ran in under the posts from halfway.
Munster would notch another when full-back Haley skipped past a number of challenges to finish well, and they ended on a minor positive as replacement lock Wycherley planted down for the 12th and final try of the game.
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