SHARKS PREVIEW: Wiser recruiting has led to better groundwork for Durbanites

There is reason for the long suffering Hollywoodbets Sharks supporters to feel a bit more optimistic about the forthcoming season than has been the case in seasons past - at least the squad has had a proper pre-season this time.

Whereas last September the then Sharks coach John Plumtree was working with eight fit players at one point and in the final weeks before the Vodacom URC kick-off was having to source players from the Currie Cup unions to bolster his resources, his replacement JP Pietersen has benefitted from the change that has been made in the recruitment department.

Long the bane of Sharks coaches, the recruitment department at Hollywoodbets Kings Park has been overhauled, and as a result the Sharks will go into their URC campaign against the Ospreys at the weekend off what could be regarded as their first proper pre-season in a long time.

“It hasn’t been as bad as that this time, we have definitely been more than eight. We had a really good pre-season with between 15 and 22 players at all our sessions,” said Pietersen in looking ahead at what will be his first full season in charge.

“The Currie Cup season was also played at the same time and as you know we gave guys who needed game time an opportunity to get game time playing in that competition.”

LESS RELIANCE ON MARQUEE PLAYERS

Part of the reason for that is the squad is no longer quite so top heavy. The marquee contracting that meant that there was such a massive chasm between what the Sharks looked like when the Boks were present and when they are not has been put to an end. Thomas du Toit, the Bok tighthead, is returning home after a few seasons with Bath in the English Premiership, but otherwise the recruitment drive has focused on good squad players and promising youngsters.

The Sharks are a season or two in now to a change of contracting model that sees the talent being fed from the bottom, meaning from the youth structures, and they started to see the benefit of that towards the end of last season.

Admittedly it was only against the Italian teams, but players like Vusi Moyo, who subsequently became a Springbok, and Zekhethelo Siyaya thrived, which built on a strong showing from Luan Giliomee in his debut against Munster earlier in the season.

The Sharks’ contracting process isn’t perfect, as evidenced by the fact that Giliomee will only be playing for a few months more for the Sharks before moving to the Vodacom Bulls, and there are other young players who have moved north. Bartho Hlekani, one of the stars of the Junior Bok team that won the Junior World Cup in 2025, is now at the 10Bet Lions.

But there is still plenty of young talent coming through, and as Pietersen pointed out, players like flanker Matt Ramao and Jaco Williams are now more comfortable playing senior level rugby and this could be their breakthrough season.

VAN ZYL EXPECTED TO MAKE BIG IMPACT

 An experienced player who has joined the Sharks who Pietersen is expecting a lot of is the former Bulls and Bok scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl, who like a lot of returning players has come back to South Africa to play for the Sharks having made obvious gains in terms of the experience he picked up playing for several seasons for Saracens.

“The one new player who has really impressed me has been Ivan, he has slotted in amazingly well,” said Pietersen.

“He is a great leader and also a good man and he loves to serve and as a result of that the boys love him. The way he challenges us as coaches is also good. His professionalism is outstanding as is his level of fitness.

“He is a great leader and it will be great for Jayden (Hendrikse) to have some competition for that scrumhalf position. He will also help Bradley Davis develop. Ian has won trophies at Saracens so he also has a Championship mindset that will rub off on the other guys. Saracens went through some tough times too so he has seen it all and that experience is invaluable.”

Van Zyl is not the only veteran who has joined the Sharks and Pietersen is expecting to make the sort of contribution he benefited from as a young player when the then Sharks coach Dick Muir recruited the All Black flyhalf and now Bok assistant coach Tony Brown in 2006.

Other players who have returned to the Sharks from overseas stints who benefitted the team through the experience that had been accumulated include Stefan Terblanche and Percy Montgomery.

“It is great for our group to have not just Ivan joining us, but also Stefan Lewies and Ma’a Nonu. Lewies has played many games for the Harlequins and like Ivan with Saracens he can bring us a perspective on how things are done over there.

"Ma’a is a legendary player who has experience of preparing and playing for the All Blacks. His influence will be huge for a guy like Jurenzo Julius and the other young backline players like Zekhethelo Siyaya.”

SEEKING CONSISTENCY

Pietersen knows talk is cheap and teams are judged according to what they do on the field, but is confident that he can guide the Sharks into a position where they can be more consistent and Kings Park patrons can come to matches with a better idea of what to expect than has been the case in recent season.

“If you look at the Sharks over the past few seasons what stands out is how inconsistent we have been,” said Pietersen.

“What I would love to achieve is team performance where we can be consistent and our supporters will be able to come to the stadium expecting a good performance. I am putting the puzzle pieces together, it is all about how we play as a team.

"We finished outside the top eight in the URC last year so obviously it is our minimum goal to make it into the top eight.

“Then if we are doing well, and we are ambitious, and we win all our home games, then we can have a go at finishing in the top four,” he added.

NOT BEING IN CHAMPIONS CUP MAY HELP THE SHARKS

The failure to make the top eight last season means there is no Investec Champions Cup rugby for the Sharks this season.

That is a financial blow and the Sharks know well from experience that the EPCR Challenge Cup is the lesser of the two European competitions, but there may be a positive from not facing the pressure of playing Champions Cup in what could be a transitional season for the Sharks.

“The Challenge Cup will give us an opportunity to rotate squads, but we are also now in a situation where we no longer have so many young players having to play some games that it feels like they are a gathering of lambs ready for the slaughter. Someone like Matt Ramao has now played European rugby, the other young guys have too, they know what it is about.”

MATHIE MAKING AN IMPACT

One of the biggest changes for the Sharks since last season hasn’t happened in the playing group but in the coaching group. New attack coach Scott Mathie, according to Pietersen, has made a strong impact in the pre-season.

“Scott has brought his ideas and the way he sees rugby and he has been working with the players and making a great impact,” said the head coach.

There are fewer Boks missing at this early stage of the season than there have been in the past, with the Bulls and Stormers now starting off the URC season with more current Boks on their books. But Pietersen is nonetheless looking forward to being at full strength, which should happen by the time the first derby arrives against the Stormers in Cape Town on 10 October.

“We have six guys away with the Boks, which is less than in previous years and also why we feel we have more numbers this year. We have a tough first three games, playing the Ospreys and Leinster at home and then going to Cape Town,” he said.

“But the change we are feeling and hoping for this season is that instead of being in a situation where we are just waiting for the Boks to come back, and then hoping they can save us from a bad start, this time around we want the players who worked hard in the pre-season to make it easier for the Boks by driving wins in the first games.

"We’ve worked hard in the pre-season, these players know the systems, so we are backing them to get us off to a good start.”

FORMIDABLE TIGHT FIVE WHEN AT FULL STRENGTH

At full strength the Sharks will have a formidable tight five, with Eben Etzebeth and one of Jason Jenkins or Emile van Heerden locking behind a front row that should feature Ox Nche and Du Toit on either side of Bongi Mgonambi.

“Bongi is looking very lean and motivated and isn’t far away from returning to the playing field,” says Pietersen.

“Yes, we do pride ourselves on our forward play, and last year we were the top scrumming team in the competition. We also know how important lineouts are, it is one of the reasons Leinster are champions in the competition.”

Hollywoodbets Sharks VURC Squad

Albertus (Albie) Bester, Andre Esterhuizen, Bongi Mbonambi Bradley Davids, Cameron Dawson, Ceano Everson, Coetzee le Roux, Corne' Rahl, Darrien Landsberg, Deon Slabbert, Dian Heunis, Donavan Don, Eben Etzebeth, Eduan Swart, Edwill van der Merwe, Emile van Heerden, Emmanuel (Manu) Tshituka, Esethu Mnebelele, Ethan Bester, Ethan Hooker, Fezokuhle (Fez) Mbatha, Gianni Lombard, Hanro Jacobs, Hendre' Stassen, Ivan van Zyl, Jaco Williams, Jaden Hendrikse, Janco Purchase, Jannes Potgieter, Jason Jenkins, Johan Momsen, Jordan Hendrikse, Juan Loots, Jurenzo Julius, Khuthadzo (Khuthi) Rasivhaga, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, Liam van Wyk, Litelihle (Lili) Bester, Luan Giliomee, Lyle Matthews, Ma'a Nonu, Makazole Mapimpi, Matt Romao, Matthew Fortuin, Murray Koster, Nemo Roelofse,  Nick Hatton, Phatu Ganyane, Phepsi Buthelezi, Phikolomzi (PK) Sobahle, Rambo Kubheka, Ox Nche, Ross Braude, Simphiwe Matanzima, Simphiwe Ngobese, Siya Masuku, Stephan Lewies, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Thomas du Toit, Thomas Dyer, Tino Mavesere, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch, Vincent Tshituka, Vusi Moyo, Yaw Penxe, Zekhethelo Siyaya

Hollywoodbets Sharks 2026/2027 fixtures

Ospreys (Vodacom URC, Durban, September 26 4pm)

Leinster (Vodacom URC, Durban, 3 October, 6:30pm)

DHL Stormers (Vodacom URC, Cape Town, 10 October, 4pm)

Lyon (EPCR Challenge Cup, Lyon, 17 October, 2pm)

Cardiff Rugby (Vodacom URC, Cardiff, 23 October, 8:45pm)

Munster (Vodacom URC, Limerick, 31 October, 7:30pm)

DHL Stormers (Vodacom URC, Durban, 5 December, 5pm)

Scarlets (EPCR Challenge Cup, Durban, 12 December, 7:30pm)

Vodacom Bulls (Vodacom URC, Durban, 19 December, 6:30pm)

10Bet Lions (Vodacom URC, Durban, 2 January, 5pm)

Castres (EPCR Challenge Cup, Durban, 9 January, 3pm)