Hendrikse bros deliver timely statement

OPINION: Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse have been at the heart of a Sharks team that has played with more purpose and direction in recent weeks.

In November 2024, Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse started at No 9 and 10 for the Springboks in the Test season finale against Wales in Cardiff.

At the time, coach Rassie Erasmus spoke about the potential of the brothers and what the unique combination might offer the national side in years to come.

The Boks went on to thump Wales 45-12 – with Jordan scoring 15 points – and in the aftermath, Erasmus seemed to be encouraged by what the pair had produced.

Seven months later, the brothers were omitted from the wider squad ahead of the Tests against Italy and Georgia – and were surplus to requirements in the Rugby Championship as well as the five-match tour to Europe in November.

After all the hype around that halfback combination, Erasmus appeared to have had a change of heart.

The omission of Jordan was easier to understand.

With Damian Willemse returning from a series of injuries, the Boks had a double World Cup-winner with the ability to cover 10, 12, and 15.

The youngest flyhallf option in Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was available after missing the back end of the 2024 season with a knee ailment. Other World Cup-winners in Manie Libbok and Handré Pollard were fit and firing.

The reasons for Jaden’s axing were less clear-cut.

The player was the Boks’ first-choice scrumhalf for much of the 2022 season, and contributed to the 2023 World Cup title win.

But as the Boks moved towards a high-tempo approach in 2024, Jaden was surpassed by Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach, and the less experienced Morné van den Berg in the national pecking order.

In 2025, he was dropped from the squad completely.

Erasmus often uses the phrase, “We know what we have in him,” to explain why a regular player has been omitted from a squad.

Veteran scrumhalf Faf de Klerk is another who has been used sparingly in recent seasons, yet as Erasmus routinely confirms, remains on the national radar. Seasoned fullback Willie le Roux didn’t tour Europe last year, but may well feature in 2026.

While the Boks know what they have in Jaden, his omission in 2025 may have been linked to the struggles of his franchise as well as his own form in a Sharks jersey.

Among the many criticisms of the Sharks in recent seasons has been the absence of a definitive playing style and the poor game management by the No 9 and 10.

To state the obvious, a squad stacked with Boks should be leading the United Rugby Championship table and competing for a home playoff in the Champions Cup.

The halfbacks should be maximising the talents of a world-class pack as well as an explosive back division.

It’s early days in the Sharks’ resurgence, but at long last, they are showing signs of living up to their potential.

After languishing at the bottom of the URC table for much of the season, they are making a late charge for a playoff spot.

Since coach John Plumtree stepped down in December, the Sharks have played with more passion and purpose.

With JP Pietersen at the helm, they’re playing a brand of rugby that is both potent and pragmatic. What’s more, it’s bringing them results.

One could have forgiven the Sharks for consolidating after a poor start to the season.

They may well have abandoned their ambitions to progress to the URC playoffs and focused on winning the Challenge Cup – to qualify for next season’s Champions Cup.

Instead, Pietersen and company went into the block of URC derbies with the intent to make a statement.

Two weeks later, they have two bonus-point wins against the Stormers, who were previously unbeaten in the URC.

The Boks in that team have found another gear and have answered the question about their dedication to the club cause.

Siya Kolisi was immense over the course of the two-match mini-series against the Stormers, as was centre André Esterhuizen. The Sharks won the set-piece and gainline battles, and laid the platform for that dangerous back division to fire.

But set-piece and gainline successes don’t always translate into points, and the coaches’ best-laid strategies don’t produce the desired results when key decision makers go off script.

Over the past two weeks, the Sharks stuck to the plan and reaped the benefits.

While the forwards deserve much of the credit, the sharp decision-making of the Hendrikse brothers ensured that the team converted dominance into points.

Some have bemoaned the kick-centric approach, but as witnessed in the most recent battle at Kings Park, the accuracy of the kick-chase led to some spectacular scores.

Indeed, how could you describe a game plan as boring when it yields 66 points and as many as nine tries in two matches – and against one of the leading defensive units in club rugby?

Following the 36-24 win on Saturday, Bok flank turned commentator Schalk Burger relayed the details of an informal chat he’d had with Pietersen on the Kings Park sideline.

Pietersen revealed that there were several nervous moments for the Sharks coaching staff over the course of the fixture, because as a coach, you never know whether the players will follow the plan.

As the final scoreline suggests, the Sharks’ coaching team and player group appear to be in synch, and in the wake of two big victories, they remain in the race for a playoff place.

The excellent game management of the Hendrikse brothers has been lauded, and Erasmus himself has name-checked Jaden and Jordan in recent media briefings.

The brothers may feature for the Boks at some point over the course of a bumper 2026 Test schedule, perhaps even as a combination.

Of course, the versatility of the individual players – Jordan covers 10, 12, and 15, while Jaden covers 9 and 10, and also kicks for goal – may also be harnessed in a six-two or seven-one bench at some stage.

Erasmus should be pleased with how the Bulls have fought back in recent weeks, winning three matches on the bounce.

Handré Pollard has been among the team’s leading performers during this period, and, collectively, the Bulls are starting to find the right balance in their approach.

By contrast, the Lions and the Stormers have much to ponder as the URC takes a break in the coming weeks.

Cash van Rooyen’s side has dropped down to 10th place in the standings and may be hard-pressed to qualify for the URC playoffs.

The Stormers have slipped to third, and a lot has been said – both publicly and privately – about their recent performances and a patent dip in standards.

They’ve led the South African charge this season, and even in the wake of recent defeats, remain best placed to secure a home playoff and push for the URC title.

That said, the Sharks gave them a lesson in game management in the recent mini-series, and time will tell whether they have taken those lessons to heart.