John Plumtree says centre Ethan Hooker’s selection at wing this week comes as the Sharks deal with a raft of back-three injuries and with an eye on developing depth, reports DEVIN HERMANUS.
Head coach Plumtree has opted to experiment with Hooker on the left wing for Saturday’s Currie Cup semi-final between the Sharks XV and Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. Andre Esterhuizen and Francois Venter form the new midfield combination, while Eduan Keyter takes over from Litelihle Bester at 14.
“[Hooker] hasn’t played wing before, so it’s something that I’d like to experiment with. It’s not going to be a positional change for him in the future; his future is in the midfield with the Sharks. But I want to see how he goes,” Plumtree said during the Sharks’ team announcement conference on Thursday.
“He’s big, he’s fast, he’s fine under the high ball, and he’s a smart rugby player. His work rate will be good, and he’s a good communicator in the back-field.
“With a guy like Andre Esterhuizen playing, and Ethan around the same spots, they’re both big men… it’s just an opportunity for me to see him go in that position.”
Plumtree explained the decision in light of the injuries to outside backs, including Diego Appollis, Yaw Penxe, and Marnus Potgieter, and the need to plan for the future.
“We’re stretched in the wider channels… and some of our senior players are ageing,” he highlighted. “It’s important for our younger players to learn from them, but also for us to experiment a little with depth in different positions.”
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The Sharks will be without veteran prop Ruan Dreyer and the exciting Jurenzo Julius for this week’s rematch with the Bulls. Dreyer sustained a Grade 2 calf tear in a comeback win against the Herd in Durban on Sunday, and is being closely monitored.
“Ruan was never going to make it,” Plumtree confirmed. “He looks like a pretty fast healer, and the medical team is working hard on him. He’ll only potentially be fit for the Currie Cup final or our Vodacom URC opener against Connacht.”
Julius, who suffered a concussion last week, is recovering well and could be available soon. “Jurenzo’s showing no symptoms… he’ll be fine for next week or the week after,” Plumtree added.
While Plumtree’s primary focus is the 2024-25 URC campaign, he stressed the importance of taking the Currie Cup seriously. “Ultimately, if you look at the bigger picture, it’s a pre-season game for us, and for a lot of players, it’s just their second game back,” he explained.
“But Saturday’s match is a solid, physical hit-out against a quality team, and that’s exactly what we want at this time of the year.”
For Plumtree, who has won the Currie Cup twice both as a player and coach, the competition still holds significance: “It’s important to honour the Currie Cup. It’s got a massive history and has been a big part of my coaching career.
“As much as the URC and Champions Cup are priorities for this union, we’re taking this week seriously,” he said, while hoping to avoid further injuries. “We’ve already got a few injuries, and I don’t want to add to the list.”
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
