Sharks digging in their heels over Batho Hlekani
NEWS: The Sharks will hold their world champion Junior Springbok Batho Hlekani to his contract as a tussle ensues between them and the Lions over his services.
The hard-running 20-year-old loose forward came back from the recent World Under-20 Championship in Italy on a high after being invited to the senior Bok squad for their training camp in Johannesburg for two weeks.
The utility forward was a standout performer as South Africa won the World Championship for the first time since 2012.
Not only was he one of only three Junior Boks invited to the Bok camp, but he is now in the middle of a huge tug-of-war between his current franchise, the Sharks, and the Lions.
Hlekani recently signed with the Lions, a surprising move that is a reverse of the recent trend of players leaving the Lions for the Sharks.
He hails from Zwide in the Eastern Cape, the same township as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, and played a key role in the Sharks’ Currie Cup triumph last season, their first title since 2018.
The Lions are on a crusade to up their youth stocks, which also includes Junior Bok teammate Haashim Pead, highly rated schoolboy talents Ethan Adams, Sherwin Buys, and David Hayidakis, as well as senior additions Dylan Sjoblom, Chris Smith, Eduan Keyter, and Angelo Davids.
Hlekani featured for the Durban franchise in the Currie Cup last season and was named in the Sharks’ squad for the current domestic competition.
On Thursday, the Sharks, through their Chief Operating Officer, Novashni Chetty, gave a curt response on the Hlekani issue: “Batho is contracted to us until the 31st December.”
This statement indicates that the Sharks are digging in their heels and will not release the player earlier.
The Lions’ urgent SOS to get Hlekani into their squad sooner rather than later seems like a knee-jerk after Esterhuizen’s injury, especially as they still have the services of Thando Biyela.
*Read VIDEO: Sharks in the dark over U20 star’s future plans HERE
The flanker captained the Junior Springboks in their third and final Pool A match at the World Rugby U20 Championship against Scotland.
The other flankers in the Lions Currie Cup squad are Renzo du Plessis, Jarod Cairns, WJ Steenkamp, and Siba Qoma.
Following their first-round clash in the Currie Cup last weekend, both teams’ coaches revealed they are eager to get their hands on Hlekani following his Bok duties.
“We gave them off last week because of the amount of rugby they’ve played.
“The U20 group will come in with very competent players that will boost us, too. We’ll stay in the fight.
“Batho won’t be available… he will be in the Springbok setup,” said Sharks coach JP Pietersen following Saturday’s 5-46 thumping at the hands of the Lions in Johannesburg.
The Lions indicated similar plans, but they are up against the Sharks’ contract with Hlekani, which only expires after the Currie Cup in December.
“We are trying to get Batho to join ASAP, hopefully after his Springbok commitments,” Nkosi said following flanker Izan Esterhuizen’s season-ending injury against the Sharks.
“We will probably try and get Batho to Joburg sooner rather than later.”
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