Sharks banking on blockbusting centre Esterhuizen

DURBAN: The Sharks will be forced into playing a mostly youthful backline against the Kings at Kings Park on Saturday, and that will mean players like Andre Esterhuizen having to take a step up into a senior role.

The blockbusting Esterhuizen, a powerful inside centre who is still just 23-years-old, is suddenly a senior statesman in the Sharks backline given the injuries to veterans in Pat Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo and Clement Poitrenaud.

The good news for the Sharks is that Esterhuizen and outside centre Lukhanyo Am are forming one of the better midfield combinations in South African rugby since Am’s move to the Sharks from the Kings for last year’s Currie Cup.

“Lukhanyo is a very good player and we are finding each other nicely now after an unbroken partnership in the Currie Cup last year,” Esterhuizen said.

“I know what he is going to do, and he knows what I am going to do.”

The midfield pair will have a brand new flyhalf this week in youngster Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who coach Robert du Preez has moved up ahead of last season’s Currie Cup flyhalf Inny Radebe.

Curwin Bosch, the star at flyhalf last week against the Waratahs in place of injured Lambie, will return to fullback because of a groin injury that has ruled out Poitrenaud.

“We all feel for Patrick after yet another injury blow,” Esterhuizen said.

“I reckon if I had suffered his bad luck I would have packed it in. But Pat is a very strong character. He will come back again after this injury. He is very tough mentally, and it is only when he is off the field that you realise how much he contributes to the team in terms of organisation and structure to our play.”

Relatively young, Esterhuizen has been a fixture in the Sharks’ midfield since the beginning of the Currie Cup in 2014 and, 60 games later, is a senior in the side despite his claims that he is still learning the ropes.

“I am learning so much from the youngsters coming into the side, and also from the coaching staff,” he said.

“Wait a bit,” he laughs. “We have always been a proudly Sharks family. We might come from Leopards country, but my father instilled a love of the Sharks in the family.

“His hero was Gary Teichmann, who is now my boss, so maybe I was always destined to play my rugby in Durban!”

Esterhuizen, who’s full first name is in fact Adriaan Pieter, reckons his rugged approach to centre play is down to a toss-up between his father’s rugby-playing genes and the locality of his upbringing.

“My dad played club rugby until he was 42 and he gave me a tough upbringing in rugby, but then I am also from Klerksdorp!” he laughs.