UKUBUYELA efomini komdlali weHollywoodbets Sharks, u-Aphelele Fassi, ngokunye okubhekwe ukuthi kusize leli qembu lidlulele phambili emqhudelwaneni i-EPCR Challenge Cup lapho lizobhekana neZebre namuhla ngeSonto.
EzikaJohn Plumtree zizodudulana naleli qembu lase-Italy emdlalweni weLast 16 ozoqala ngo-4 ntambama eHollywoodbets Kings Park.
Zizongena zizethemba kulo mdlalo kulandela ukunqoba emibili ilandelana komunye umqhudelwano, i-United Rugby Championship zishaya i-Ulster yase-Ireland ngo 22-12, ne-Edinburgh yaseScotland ngo 23-13.
UFassi (26) ulime indima enkulu kule midlalo ngesikhathi eqala iminyakazo eholele ekutheni ezakhe zikwazi ukufika phambili zeqe umugqa, zithole ama-try.
Nangesikhathi iSharks isewukudla kwenduku kwi-URC, ubengomunye wabadlali abebezama, njengoba engasabambeki manje.
“Into emqoka kakhulu kimina yimpilo yami nokuthi umzimba wami ube sesimweni esihle. Kungiphazamise kakhulu ukulimala kumasizini amabili edlule. Kulo nyaka ngidlale yonke imidlalo futhi ngiyazama ukuwubamba umgqigqo. Ngiyajabula ukuthi ngikwazile ukuqhamuka namaqhinga asize iqembu ukuthi lihlasele,” kusho uFassi.
Ukulimala kwakhe nyakenye kwashabalalisa amaphupho akhe okufakwa eqenjini lamaBhokobhoko elanqoba iNdebe yoMhlaba. Yize esanesifiso sokubuyela eqenjini lesizwe kodwa akafuni ukuzifakela ingcindezi.
“Ukubuyela kumaBhokobhoko into engike ngayicabanga kodwa ngiyaqonda ukuthi angikwazanga ukudlala imidlalo eminingi ilandelana kuze kuphele iminyaka emibili ukuze ngizibeke ethubeni. Okwamanje ngisazogxila ekudlaleni kahle kwiSharks,” uqhube kanje.
ISharks idlulele kweyomkhumulajezi kwiChallenge Cup ngokuqhwakela eqoqweni layo ngamaphuzu angu-17 emidlalweni emine. Inqobe emithathu, ithela othulini amaqembu aseFrance iPau ne-Oyonnax, neDragons yaseWales. Ihlulwe kanye ijikelwa abakhaya iCheetahs ngoDisemba nyakenye.
Yize iZebre ikwazile ukuzibekisela indawo kulesi sigaba kodwa idlule ngengcuphe njengoba inqobe imidlalo emibili yamaqoqo, yahlulwa kwemibili.
UFassi, oteketiswa ngelika-’Weekend Special” ngenxa yengoma yomzwilili wakuleli ongasekho emhlabeni uBrenda Fassie, uthe bahlose ukuphinde bajabulise abalandeli kule mpelasonto njengoba benzile emidlalweni emibili yakamuva.
“Iqembu liyazethemba kulandela ukunqoba le midlalo ne-Ulster kanye ne-Edinburgh kodwa sesingena komunye umqhudelwano onezidingo ezehlukile. Lona wumdlalo womkhumulajezi,” usho kanje.
“Leli qembu lase-Italy, iZebre, lizofika nomfutho omkhulu namandla. Ngicabanga ukuthi okuzosisiza wukuthi sikwazi ukumelana nalokho, sisebenzise abadlali bethu baphambili ngendlela efanele.
“Uma sesikwenzile lokho kuzobe sekusele ukuthi sisebenzise amathuba ngoba yilokho okubaluleke kakhulu ukuze iqembu linqobe.”
La maqembu awakabhekani kwiChallenge Cup kule sizini yize ayeseqoqweni elilodwa ngenxa yokuthi iqembu ngalinye lalidlala namane kwamahlanu elaliqhathwe nawo.
Agcina ukuhlangana kwi-URC ngoNovemba nyakenye lapho iZebre yamangaza khona iningi iguqisa iSharks ngo 12-10. Leli qembu lase-Italy lalikade linqotshwe imidlalo engu-28 ilandelana ngaphambi kokuthi livuke ngeSharks.