Vodacom United Rugby Championship rugby returns after a fortnight break, with everything to play for in the final four rounds of the pool stages as the Hollywoodbets Sharks travel to Wales to take on the Ospreys on Saturday evening.
“The mood in the camp is really good,” said captain Andre Esterhuizen ahead of the team’s departure to Wales.
“We know we’re building something here and we know we basically need to win four out of four games to stand a chance to get into the top 8. The group is really motivated, we’ve had good chats, good training sessions and we’re looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“We haven’t been the best on the road this year, but that’s something we’re looking to rectify. We know we can play, we have the squad to do that and it’s about doing that every single weekend.”
Esterhuizen pointed out that the key message for the team is about consistency, because “That’s something we’ve lacked this season. We’re driving consistency in performance and we know if we perform well, we have a good chance of winning these matches. It’s a mindset thing, you need to be switched on for every game, because this is a tough competition and you can lose at any point if you aren’t at your best every game.”
Looking at Ospreys, he warns that this match is going to be every bit as tough as any VURC clash the team will face.
“They’re a tough side, especially at home. They play a lot of rugby, they’re physical, they have a nice attacking style of rugby and they’re a side that likes to move the ball around, so we’re looking forward to that challenge.”
Esterhuizen leads a well-rounded match 23, one in which head coach JP Pietersen has had no hesitation in handing the talented 18-year-old Zekhethelo Siyaya a first start at fullback, also welcoming back a number of stalwarts set to feature in this match.
Hollywoodbets Sharks
- Phatu Ganyane
- Fez Mbatha
- Hanro Jacobs
- Jason Jenkins
- Emile van Heerden
- Phepsi Buthelezi
- Vincent Tshituka
- Manu Tshituka
- Jaden Hendrikse
- Jean Smith
- Ethan Hooker
- Andre Esterhuizen (Captain)
- Le Roux Malan
- Edwill van der Merwe
- Zekhethelo Siyaya*
Replacements
- Eduan Swart
- Ox Nche
- Vincent Koch
- Corne Rahl
- Nick Hatton
- Bradley Davids
- Siya Masuku
- Jurenzo Julius
*Denotes debut for the Hollywoodbets Sharks
Players not considered for selection due to injury:
Aphelele Fassi, Bongi Mbonambi, Bryce Calvert, Coetzee le Roux, Deon Slabbert, Ethan Bester, Eben Etzebeth, Francois Venter, Grant Williams, Hakeem Kunene, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaco Williams, Luan Giliomee, Marvin Orie, Matt Romao, Mawanda Mdanda, Ruan Dreyer, Simphiwe Matanzima, Thomas Dyer, Trevor Nyakane, Yaw Penxe