Sharks head into new season with six captains
NEWS: Sharks head coach JP Pietersen has revealed his leadership group for the 2026/2027 season.
The side will again be captained by Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen. He will be supported by co-captains Emile van Heerden, Nick Hatton and Vincent Tshituka.
Meanwhile, Vincent Koch and Phepsi Buthelezi have been appointed “club captains” to put an “emphasis on strengthening a high-performance culture rooted in the standards that have long defined the Sharks: discipline, accountability and respect”.
“Andre has been an outstanding leader for this team, and I have absolute faith in him to keep setting that standard on the field,” said Pietersen.
“What makes this group special is the depth around him: Emile, Nick and Vincent Tshituka will share that responsibility as co-captains, while Vincent Koch and Phepsi Buthelezi will work alongside Andre and our coaching staff to drive standards and shared responsibility.
“Every player in this squad has a leader close by, holding the same line. That means all of us – players and coaches alike – are accountable to one another. Nobody is above the standard; everybody is held to it equally.
“That is the culture our coaching team and this leadership group will drive throughout the season.”
The story continues…
According to a Sharks statement, Esterhuizen’s captaincy “centres on the 80 minutes: reading the game, making calls under pressure, driving discipline and inspiring his teammates through his physical example. Koch and Buthelezi’s mandate begins long before kick-off and continues long after the final whistle.
“As Club Captains, they are custodians of the environment in which the team trains, prepares and works. They will set the tone in the changeroom, hold standards firm in the gym and on the training ground, and ensure that Sharks values are visible in how players conduct themselves every day.
“Their role connects the example set by those who have worn the black and white before them with the standards this group wants the next generation to inherit.”
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