'It's not something I'm used to' - Esterhuizen opens up on captaincy role
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks centre Andre Esterhuizen opened up about how he has found being given the responsibility to wear the captain’s armband midway through the season.
Following the sacking of former mentor John Plumtree, JP Pietersen took the reins in an interim role before being appointed as head coach of the Sharks.
Pietersen entrusted Andre Esterhuizen with the captaincy in his first outing with the team against Saracens in the Champions Cup and got off to a winning 23-13 start.
The Springbok hybrid conceded that it’s a role he’s not quite used to, but one that he’s embraced, with the support of the players around him who help make his job easier.
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“It’s been a bit of a challenge for me. It’s something that I’m not used to.
“But I’m enjoying the responsibility at the moment and trying to keep the spirits up and lead the team in the right direction.
“Personally, it’s something nice, and I’ve got a great bunch of guys to work with, and it’s just about getting through to them and leading by example.
“They need someone to follow, and hopefully I’m providing that.”
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Esterhuizen will, in all likelihood, captain the Sharks once more when they face a tricky Ospreys side on Saturday evening.
The Sharks, currently in 10th position in the URC and on 33 points, have an outside chance of making the play-offs.
Esterhuizen is under no illusions about that statistic and said the team has no lack of motivation, knowing what’s required to keep their season alive.
He also called on the Sharks to strive for consistency in their performances over the course of their last four league matches and touched on the challenge the Ospreys will bring.
“We know we need to win all four games ahead so the group doesn’t lack motivation,” Esterhuizen said.
“We had some good chats and training sessions, and we’re looking forward to the challenge ahead in these two away games.
“We haven’t been at our best on the road this season, but it’s something we’re looking to rectify.
“The key message to the group is consistency. It’s something we’ve been lacking this season.
“Consistency in performance and not necessarily results, so we’re driving to get a good performance under the belt, and we know if we’re performing well, we’ve got a good chance of securing victory.
“Ospreys are a tough side to play, especially at their home ground.
“They’re a physical side that likes to move the ball around, so we’re looking forward to the challenge ahead.”
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