Young Turks are shooting the Sharks to stardom

Much has been said about the Sharks’ core of experienced Springboks and how they could help the Durbanites to another trophy this year, but they also have youngsters raising their hands. Mike Greenaway identifies five players that can shape the Sharks’ future.

Ethan Hooker

Hooker is born and bred in Westville, just 15kms from Kings Park, and was a schoolboy sensation for Westville Boys High. He reminds me of Clive Rathbone, the Amanzimtoti-raised winger who played 26 Tests for Australia. Hooker and Rathbone are centres used on the wing and they have an explosiveness that often results in tries. Hooker was simply sensational in his work rate in the Sharks’ defeat of the Bulls last week.

Jurenzo Julius

It was telling that the 20-year-old product of Paarl Roos Gymnasium was preferred at No 13 for last week’s game in Pretoria, with veteran Lukhanyo Am moving from his preferred position to inside centre. Julius was brilliant against the Bulls and underlined why he has been called up to the Springbok alignment camp. Nicknamed “The Boogie Man” because he scares defenders, Julius is on a one-way ticket to Springbok stardom.

Corne Rahl

The 22-year-old’s blond hair often heightens the blood he sheds in his uncompromising approach to second row play. A product of Oakdale High in the Western Cape, Rahl is in rugby heaven because his mentor is world legend Eben Etzebeth. Imagine being a youngster coached by probably the greatest Springbok of all time? Rahl is in the best hands and is increasingly showing that he is learning from Etzebeth.

Ethan Bester

The 20-year-old hooker is a proud product of KZN school Hilton College, the midlands school that produced Springboks and Sharks in Bob Skinstad, Gary Teichmann, and Wayne Fyvie. Bester has caught the eye of coach John Plumtree because of his skilful execution of the basics of hooker play but mostly because of his hunger to get stuck in. He is young but fearless.

Siya Masuku

At age 28 Masuku is not a young Turk but he warrants mention as an up-and-coming influencer because he has been in the selection wilderness for some time. Masuku was not invited to the March 9 Bok alignment camp and that would primarily have been because he hasn’t played much for the Sharks. Jordan Hendrikse had been preferred as the starting flyhalf but when the latter was injured, Plumtree gave Masuku another shot. He has been so good that Hendrikse has been kept at fullback.