Hollywoodbets Sharks head coach John Plumtree has named a 65-man squad to do duty in the upcoming Vodacom United Rugby Championship that kicks off next week.
With a lengthy and demanding season ahead, incorporating the VURC, Investec Champions Cup and Springbok international commitments, squad depth is crucial to the team’s ambitions over the next nine gruelling months.
As such, the Carling Currie Cup proved a productive breeding group for developing young talent further – a stated commitment by the coaching staff – while the success of the Junior Boks in the World Rugby Under 20 Championship added further talent to the pool.
The mix of youth and experience can be a delicate balancing act, but in the Hollywoodbets Sharks case, the recent competitive environment the young players have been exposed to means they come into the VURC with plenty of experience.
The likes of Junior Boks Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), Matt Romao (loose forward), Jaco Willaims (wing/fullback) and Ceano Everson (scrumhalf), alongside Carling Currie Cup captain Nick Hatton and a host of players who showed their worth in a campaign that built strength and self-belief as it unfolded, adds not only depth so necessary in this competition, but quality to ensure the team’s competitiveness following their best campaign to date with a third-place finish and the SA Shield in the VURC 2024/25 season.
While the loss of a number of Springboks to the national cause in the next two months does pose certain challenges, the recruitment of new players as well as inbound depth on loan from other unions certainly does offset the demands on the playing and coaching staff.
“We have some injuries, particularly around lock with Corne Rahl and Emile van Heerden, with the latest being Siya Masuku, and Jordan Hendrikse who has been on the long-term injury list, so we have a few problems,” explains Plumtree.
“There are about nine URC players unavailable, along with the Springboks.
“But there is still a lot of quality within our team: we have some loan players, Cameron Dawson from the Toyota Cheetahs and Cebo Dlamini from Suzuki Griquas, along with a couple of new recruits, Eduan Swart and Ross Braude from the Airlink Pumas, two good players, and it’s good to have a relationship with Jimmy Stonehouse around helping us out with players and that’s added to our depth.”
Hollywoodbets Sharks VURC Squad
1. Albie Bester
2. Andre Esterhuizen
3. Aphelele Fassi
4. Bathobele Hlekani
5. Bongi Mbonambi
6. Bradley Davids
7. Bryce Calvert
8. Cameron Dawson
9. Ceano Everson
10. Cebo Dlamini
11. Christie Grobbelaar
12. Coetzee Le Roux
13. Cornelus Rahl
14. Deon Slabbert
15. Dian Bleuler
16. Dian Heunis
17. Diego Appollis
18. Eben Etzebeth
19. Eduan Swart
20. Edwill van der Merwe
21. Emile van Heerden
22. Emmanuel Tshituka
23. Ethan Bester
24. Ethan Hooker
25. Fezokuhle Mbatha
26. Francois Venter
27. Grant Williams
28. Hakeem Kunene
29. Hanro Jacobs
30. Jaco Williams
31. Jaden Hendrikse
32. Jannes Potgieter
33. Jason Jenkins
34. Jean Smith
35. Jordan Hendrikse
36. Jurenzo Julius
37. Lee-Marvin Mazibuko
38. Litelihle Bester
39. Lukhanyo Am
40. Makazola Mapimpi
41. Marnus Potgieter
42. Marvin Orie
43. Matt Romao
44. Mawande Mdanda
45. Meno Barnard
46. Nick Hatton
47. Ox Nche
48. Phatu Ganyane
49. Phepsi Buthelezi
50. Phikolomzi Sobahle
51. Ross Braude
52. Ruan Dreyer
53. Simphiwe Matanzima
54. Simphiwe Ngobese
55. Siya Masuku
56. Siyamthanda Kolisi
57. Thomas Dyer
58. Tiaan Fourie
59. Tinotenda Mavesere
60. Trevor Nyakane
61. Vincent Koch
62. Vincent Tshituka
63. Vusi Moyo
64. Willem van den Hever
65. Yaw Penxe
