Life has changed quite considerably for Ethan Hooker in the months he last played for the Hollywoodbets Sharks on his home field in Durban and he will get a chance to show off his growth as a player in Saturday’s first home Vodacom URC game against Ulster.
He was a Springbok already when the Sharks bowed out of their 2024/2025 URC campaign with a quarterfinal defeat to the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria, but he didn’t have the stature he has now following his telling contribution to Bok wins over New Zealand away and Argentina twice in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
The Westville old boy is just 22 years of age and while before he made his graduation to be a starting Bok on the wing he was considered a player of huge promise, he hadn’t actually been properly tested yet.
He’s been tested now, and some, with his brilliant counter-attacking run against the All Blacks in Wellington perhaps being his statement moment in a thrilling string of games.
He scored a good intercept try for the Sharks last week against Leinster in Dublin and showed his touches with limited opportunity, but his eagerly awaited return to Hollywoodbets Kings Park is a big moment for both him and the team.
“I think it is huge. It is our first home game and it is a big one,” said Hooker.
“We don’t really want to lose any home games so I think we’re going to come firing out of the blocks and hopefully we can sustain pressure on them for 80 minutes.
“(Personally) I am just really looking forward to running out onto Kings Park again. I sort of miss that feeling, playing in front of the home crowd and the cheers you get. The atmosphere at our home ground is electric and hopefully we can produce a good game of rugby for the spectators.”
The Sharks need to produce more than just a good game if they hope to ease some of the pressure that is mounting on them after a tour where they did not win a game (they drew with the Dragons) - they need to make sure they are on the winning side.
“Ulster are like any other team, they are physical and they are clinical,” he said. “I think we just have to match that and overpower them. We need to use our big, experienced forwards to get us across the gain-line and then just profit on that as the backs and make sure we get the points that are on offer.”
The Sharks have left quite a few points on the table so far this season through poor finishing, particularly last week against Leinster where they were forced to play catch-up against a very organised defensive system from an early stage of the game.
They should also have beaten the Dragons in inclement conditions the week before had they taken their opportunities.
Being clinical in execution is what Hooker considers his biggest learning from playing for the Boks and he hopes the return of himself and several experienced players will improve that aspect of the Sharks’ game against Ulster.
“I think the big thing that opened my eyes at the Boks was just how clinical they are, particularly when it comes to closing out and winning games,” said Hooker.
“I would like to see that transferred to the Sharks, to see us create a culture around that,” he added.
The Sharks team for the Ulster clash will be announced around lunch time on Thursday.