Sharks found a new enforcer?

STATS ATTACK: With Springbok legend Eben Etzebeth missing from the starting XV, the Sharks’ forward Vincent Tshituka seems to have stepped up seamlessly.

Etzebeth was initially named in the Sharks’ starting line-up that faced Ulster in the United Rugby Championship clash last weekend.

However, prior to kick-off, the captain and most capped Springbok Etzebeth was ruled out by the team doctor with the flu.

While the late change was a massive blow for the Sharks, who found themselves trailing 0-19 by the half-hour mark, the Durban-based side eventually regrouped and produced a massive comeback for a 22-19 win in the Round 16 clash.

There were a lot of standouts in the team, but one person who made an impact in terms of the stats was Vincent Tshituka.

The 26-year-old made the list as one of the top players of Round 16 thanks to his impressive line-out prowess.

The regular loose forward, donning the No. 4 jersey on Saturday, won eight line-outs – the most in the round.

He also tops the chart for most line-out steals with 2, and has an overall tally of 10 after 16 rounds.

Earlier this month, RugbyPass reported that Vincent and his brother Emmanuel Tshituka have been cleared for Springbok selection after reportedly receiving their South African identity cards, ending a long administrative delay.

According to the online media outlet, the Democratic Republic of Congo-born loose forward brothers are now eligible for full integration into the national setup.

Although both had already obtained South African citizenship and passports, the absence of physical ID cards meant they were not considered for Rassie Erasmus’ first alignment camp of 2025 in Cape Town.

The Congolese brothers’ ID numbers had been issued shortly before the camp, but the paperwork was not finalised in time. With this hurdle now apparently cleared, the Sharks duo are available for potential inclusion ahead of the upcoming international season.