'There's no doubt in my mind': Bok star to help solve a Sharks problem
SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks have suffered major injury blows ahead of their clash with Munster in Limerick, but they also have the depth to solve a few problems.
Centres Andre Esterhuizen (ankle) and Jurenzo Julius (hamstring) have left the tour squad after suffering injuries in the win against Cardiff last weekend.
Esterhuizen, who is also the squad captain, limped off in the opening minute, which meant Ethan Hooker shifted from the wing to midfield for the rest of the match.
The Sharks then lost Julius later in the match, which caused another shuffle.
One of the players JP Pietersen has called on for cover is Suleiman Hartzenberg, and he could form a new midfield combo with Hooker for that Munster clash.
Lili Bester, who has also linked up with the touring squad this week, could also be an option for the midfield.
It’s a bit of a disruption to the plans, but Hooker is confident they can rise above it, and he will have an integral role.
“For me, there is no doubt in my mind,” said the young Bok star.
“We have been really working on our depth, and it’s a credit to all the younger guys coming through, who really put up their hand when they get a chance.
“Sometimes it is a matter of who is going to play this game, and we still don’t really know.
“Everyone is performing to their best because sometimes we think maybe this guy can have a shot or that guy can have a shot, so we prepare ourselves for these kinds of situations.
“We do have two big losses, but I know without a doubt that the guys coming in to replace them will put their hand up again.”
‘Miraculous’
While still being a bit of a young gun himself, Hooker is also feeding off the energy from some of the youngsters, and one of them is fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya,
The 19-year-old continued his good form by terrorising Cardiff’s defence.
“I love it. The guys are still young enough where they’ve got so much energy and all they want is the ball and do magic with the ball, ” Hooker added.
“Playing in a backline like that almost elevates me to start being hungry for the ball myself.
“These guys see space that other guys don’t see. Coming straight out of school, some of the things they can do are quite miraculous.
“They manage to pull it off, and sometimes they make mistakes. That’s where Andre and I come in, and we sort of keep them level-headed and sort of help them a bit.
“They are so naturally talented; you can learn a thing just based on their pure instincts.”
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