Of all the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ established Springboks Andre Estherhuizen has arguably been the most influential in recent times, and also the one, along with the homegrown Ethan Hooker, the star player who looks most prepared to bleed and sacrifice for the cause.
So maybe it’s no coincidence he will also be playing his 100th game on Saturday.
Longevity at one union or franchise does breed loyalty and commitment to the jersey, which might be the secret to some of the recent success of the Sharks’ coastal rivals, the DHL Stormers.
For the record, the Sharks centre started out at the Sharks at age-group level, and he made his debut for the senior team in 2014.
If you want to know how long ago that was, Jake White was the coach, and Esterhuizen was being spoken about as the new Frans Steyn.
He was at inside centre then and he is at inside centre still, although of course he has added to his utility value by becoming a hybrid between centre and flank at the Springboks.
Will he get to reprise that role at the Sharks? Time will tell, but there are times the Durban team looks like they could use a big ball-carrying blindside flank, particularly now that Manu Tshituka is out injured.
We know that Westville old boy Hooker likes the No 12 jersey, Francois Venter has been capped by the Boks in that position and Jurenzo Julius is an option at outside centre.
But it is more likely the Sharks will go the most basic and less frilly route in this first full strength game and first home Investec Champions Cup game against the visiting English club side, Saracens.
And Esterhuizen’s ability to carry the ball up to and over the advantage line as an inside centre, something that was writ large in the big win the Boks scored over Wales last week, could just help the hosts swing the game their way against what could be an international laden Saracens team.
Sarries up first at the Tank 👊
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) December 9, 2025
Tickets still available, don’t miss this clash of superstars. pic.twitter.com/58tzPb2vkf
FIGHTING TO TURN SEASON AROUND
Of course Esterhuizen hasn’t spent all of this time at the Sharks.
He did spend a few years playing for Harlequins in London before being lured back to Durban by the now ex Sharks coach John Plumtree, and in that time he got to play against Saracens often.
He knows what a good team they are.
“Saracens are a great side and they showed their form against Clermont last week (where they won 47-10),” said Esterhuizen.
“I’ve played against them a few times in the past, and they are always tough to beat. They have a strong set-piece, their attack has evolved, and they are very structured. It will be a challenge for us.”
It will indeed, and while Esterhuizen will have a clutch of his Bok teammates back with him, we know that the injured Ox Nche and the suspended Eben Etzebeth won’t be there.
And that makes for a big hole in the Sharks pack.
However, the Sharks are not just celebrating Esterhuizen’s 100th cap at the weekend, they are also starting out under a new coach in JP Pietersen, and Esterhuizen says he and his teammates are determined to turn around a season that at this point is in tatters.
“A lot has happened since we (the Boks) were away,” said Esterhuizen in obvious reference to the announcement in October, just after the home URC game against Scarlets, that Plumtree would be taking his leave of the franchise at the end of the current season, which was subsequently adjusted at Plumtree’s behest to “I am leaving right now”.
Plumtree is still there as an adviser of course, and it will be interesting to see if in his new backroom role he gets to see the Sharks produce what they failed do to in the previous games the Boks were available for this season.
“Everyone is focused on the same task - getting us back to where we should be,” said the centre.
“This weekend’s game is a big one, and that’s all we are looking at. Whatever happens, we know we must play our best.”
Indeed, those are words that have been heard and read many times in recent months and before that, and yet the talk has been talked without the walk quite being walked.
You get the feeling though that when they come from Esterhuizen they carry more weight, and maybe, just maybe, his teammates will be motivated to help him celebrate reaching the ‘Sharks Centurions’ club in fitting style.
That means getting the win that the Sharks desperately need to stay alive in the battle for a place in the Champions Cup playoffs as opposed to reducing the two games in the competition that come in January to effective dead rubber fixtures.
One thing is for certain, if every Sharks player followed the example set by Esterhuizen, the Sharks faithful would have no reason for concern.
The Sharks team for the Saracens game will be announced on Friday afternoon as per the Champions Cup protocols.