EVERYBODY HAS TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE
The Hollywoodbets Sharks have had to endure a tough start to their VURC campaign, which culminated in last weekend’s disappointing home loss to Ulster. As one of their leaders and Springbok stars, André Esterhuizen says that the team has worked hard the past week to fix mistakes and chase a first win against the Scarlets. And, the key is to stick together as a team…
Head coach John Plumtree expressed the Hollywoodbets Sharks' disappointment following their 26-34 defeat at the hands of Ulster in no uncertain terms.
“We expected so much more,” Plumtree said. “We know what quality we’ve got in this group, and we’ll just have to look in the mirror and come with a different mindset.”
That is exactly what the Hollywoodbets Sharks did over the past five days in preparation for today’s Round 5 VURC encounter with the Scarlets.
“It has been a tough week,” Esterhuizen admits. “But the boys responded well.
“There were some tough meetings on Monday. We had a hard look at ourselves.
“We didn’t perform like we wanted to against Ulster. The team lacked cohesion, and too many individual errors impacted the team.”
According to Esterhuizen, however, the team is not dwelling too much on the past but instead focusing on taking their campaign forward.
“It’s all about the next game.
“We can’t change what has happened. So, we’re looking forward to today’s game against the Scarlets before the big break. We need to rectify things.”
And, believes the powerhouse Springbok, unity is the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ greatest strength.
“For us to play at the level that we know we are capable of, everyone needs to get on the same page,” Esterhuizen says.
“It’s no use to have a team of superstars, but we don’t play together. Everything revolves around the team; we need to play like a team.
“As soon as things go wrong and players pull in different directions trying to find solutions on their own, the difficulty escalates.
“We need to stick together, through thick and thin.”
The Hollywoodbets Sharks today welcome back the Scarlets from Llanelli, Wales, who are currently bottom of the table in 16th
position, three championship points adrift of the Durban-based side in 14th spot. The Welshmen nevertheless made the Lions work hard for a 29-18 win in Johannesburg last Saturday and can by no means be underestimated.
Their main threat lies in their dynamic backrow consisting of No. 8 Taine Plumtree and flankers Dan Davis and Jarrod Taylor, who were lethal at the breakdown last week, turning over possession on no fewer than nine occasions.
“Every time we play against the Scarlets, they tend to make the game quite messy,” Esterhuizen observes.
“They prefer the game when it’s loose, and they like to play off turnovers. Last year, when we played them at home, it was quite a scrappy game, with a lot of action at the breakdown.
"WE CAN’T CHANGE WHAT HAS HAPPENED. SO, WE’RE LOOKING..."
“We expect a tough, physical battle, yet they do have a lot of flair as well. We just need to counter that and play to our strengths.”
One of the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ chief resources when they play at home is the passionate support they enjoy from the Shark Tank faithful.
“That is why it was so disappointing to lose last weekend,” Esterhuizen says. “During the previous season, we won almost every game at home.
We love playing at Hollywoodbets Kings Park. We love playing for our fans.”
WORDS: ALBERT HEENOP
PHEPSI 100
When he takes to the field today, Phepsi Buthelezi will earn his 100th cap for the Hollywoodbets Sharks in an international competition, confirming his status as not only a legend in black and white but also one of the most popular warriors in the eyes of the faithful…
Over the past six seasons, Phendulani Sikhizane Hendrick ‘Phepsi’ Buthelezi has delivered nothing less than reliability-plus for the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
Buthelezi is perhaps one of the most underrated players around. To be sure, if he were plying his trade in another country, with not such a plethora of quality loose forwards to choose from, the 26-year-old loose forward would have already had more than the one test cap, against Portugal in 2024, to his name.
Head coach John Plumtree suggested that Buthelezi was consistently the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ standout forward during the 2024-25 Vodacom URC campaign.
Hence, there is no player more deserving of achieving a century of caps than ‘Phepsi’ Buthelezi, and, as one of the most passionate Hollywoodbets Sharks you will ever find, it means a lot to him.
“I actually couldn’t believe it when Novashni (Chetty, Chief Operations Officer) told me that my 100th cap was coming up,” Buthelezi admits.
“I’ve supported the Hollywoodbets Sharks all my life, and I always wanted to play for them. It was always my dream.
“You grow up watching club legends like Ryan Kankowski, Tera Mtembu, the list just goes on. It’s something that always seemed so distant; I always figured it would take many, many seasons to get to 100 caps.
“Yet, now I’m finding myself preparing for that game.
“It is a very special moment for me and my family, especially my mother, Sizakele.
“My dad, Absalom, passed away when I was still very young. Mom had to sacrifice a lot for me to get to a point where I could be offered a scholarship to attend DHS, and thereafter to be picked up by the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
So, it’s a special moment for her, my brothers, Blessing, Lindo and Mnqobi, and my sister, Zama.”
Buthelezi debuted for the Hollywoodbets Sharks in a Super Rugby victory of 45-10 over the Sunwolves in Singapore on February 16, 2019.
“The photo of my debut is in my lounge, and I look at it every day,” he says. “It is a photo of ‘The Beast’, Tendai Mtawarira, capping me, and a photo that I hold close to my heart.
“That whole week was very hot. If I remember correctly, one of our training sessions had to be abandoned, with coach Rob (du Preez) saying all the time, ‘Stay hydrated, boys, stay hydrated!’
“The whole week was so special. (Aphelele) Fassi was my roommate, and funnily enough, he was also making his debut that day. We were both young and just taking it all in, the whole hotel life, the hotel buffet… (laughs)
“When I came on in the 66th minute for Jacques Vermeulen, the game itself went by in a flash. Yet, I’ll never forget that day.” Buthelezi’s marauding performances and his leadership were key for the Hollywoodbets Sharks when they captured the EPCR Challenge Cup in 2024. He drew
first blood in the final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a spectacular solo try from 40 m out, and still regards that game as the highlight of his career to date.
“It was special, not only because we were the first Hollywoodbets Sharks side to win an international competition, but also because of the way we went about it. Once we got going in that game, I felt that we really played Sharks rugby and dominated. It made me really proud.
“I actually broke my hand in the semifinal, missing the next two VURC games, and it was 50/50 whether I’d play in the final. I remember praying so hard to be ready.
“There was so much on the line. There were so many Sharks old boys, people who have worn this jersey, who would be watching and rooting for us. I wanted to put my best foot forward. “We wanted to do it for the province, for the city and for the many fans across the world.”
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS PLAYER PROFILES
BORN: 15/02/1993 HEIGHT: 2.01 m
BORN: 05/04/1998 HEIGHT: 1.98m BORN: 22/07/1996 HEIGHT: 1.74m
SHARKS PLAYER PROFILES
BORN: 02/02/2003 HEIGHT: 1.83 m WEIGHT: 90KG
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS
JORDAN HENDRIKSE ETHAN HOOKER
SCARLETS
BLAIR MURRAY
COACH JOHN PLUMTREE
MANAGER
TREVOR BARNES
LUKHANYO AM
ANDRE ESTERHUIZEN
EDWILL VAN DER MERWE
JEAN SMITH
GRANT WILLIAMS
EMMANUEL TSHITUKA
VINCENT TSHITUKA
SIYA KOLISI
MARVIN ORIE
EBEN ETZEBETH (C)
VINCENT KOCH
BONGI MBONAMBI
NCHE
JOE ROBERTS
JOHNNY WILLIAMS (C)
ELLIS MEE
SAM COSTELOW DANE BLACKER TAINE PLUMTREE
LOUSI JAKE BALL
HARVEY CUCKSON
ARCHER HOLZ
MARNUS VAN DER MERWE
KEMSLEY MATHIAS
MBATHA
DAWSON
LEE-MARVIN MAZIBUKO
SCHEEPERS
PHEPSI BUTHELEZI*
JADEN HENDRIKSE
KIRBY MYHILL ALEC HEPBURN
HENRY THOMAS
ALEX GROVES
JARROD TAYLOR
ARCHIE HUGHES
JOE HAWKINS
IOAN NICHOLAS
ASSISTANT REFEREES
GRIFFIN COLBY, AIMEE BARRETT-THERON TMO
EOGHAN CROSS
HEAD COACH
DWAYNE PEE
MANAGER
SCARLETS PLAYER PROFILES
BORN: 29/07/1999 HEIGHT: 1.85m WEIGHT: 121KG
BORN: 17/02/1997 HEIGHT: 1.86m
115KG
SCARLETS PLAYER PROFILES
01/03/2000 HEIGHT: 1.88m
BORN: 16/01/2004 HEIGHT: 2.01m WEIGHT: 120KG BORN: 06/07/1998 HEIGHT: 1.78m WEIGHT: 78KG
122KG BORN: 09/03/2000 HEIGHT: 1.96m BORN: 21/06/1991 HEIGHT: 1.99 m WEIGHT: 108KG
BORN: 10/05/2000 HEIGHT: 1.83m WEIGHT: 98KG BORN: 17/12/1998 HEIGHT: 1.85m WEIGHT: 87KG
BORN: 05/02/1992 HEIGHT: 1.83m
BORN: 30/03/1993 HEIGHT: 1.86m
BORN: 09/10/2001 HEIGHT: 1.73m
83KG WEIGHT: 115KG
BORN: 17/09/1998 HEIGHT: 1.82m WEIGHT: 101KG BORN: 18/10/1996 HEIGHT: 1.91m WEIGHT: 105KG
10/01/2001 HEIGHT: 1.75m
BORN: 05/01/2001 HEIGHT: 2.07m WEIGHT: 100KG WEIGHT: 120KG
BORN: 15/02/2001 HEIGHT: 1.88m
BORN: 30/10/1991 HEIGHT: 1.88m BORN: 11/06/2002 HEIGHT: 1.83m BORN: 03/04/1998 HEIGHT: 1.82m
WEIGHT: 77KG BORN: 14/02/2003 HEIGHT: 1.73m
WEIGHT: 108KG WEIGHT: 120KG WEIGHT: 99KG WEIGHT: 92KG
JOHNNY
MARNUS VAN DER MERWE
ARCHER HOLZ
JAKE BALL
DANE BLACKER
KEMSLEY MATHIAS
HARVEY CUCKSON
DAN DAVIS
JARROD TAYLOR
ALEX GROVES
TOM ROGERS
JOE ROBERTS
BLAIR MURRAY
ALEC HEPBURN
KIRBY MYHILL
HENRY THOMAS
JOE HAWKINS IOAN NICHOLAS
ARCHIE HUGHES
The safer the gear, the braver the game.
Volvo, proud vehicle par tner of the Sharks
MAJOR MATCHUP VAN DER MERWE VS ROGERS
Edwill van der Merwe
Back in his preferred spot on the wing, after he had to stand in for Aphelele Fassi at fullback, the new Springbok signing of the Hollywoodbets Sharks brings tons of excitement to the back division.
Van der Merwe celebrated his test debut for South Africa on 22 June 2024, ironically against Wales, at Twickenham, by scoring a sensational try. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined him for the rest of 2024.
The 29-year-old speedster bounced back this year, starting the second test against Italy and the one-off against Georgia, and running in a brace of tries in both, and has been an inspiration in the colours of the Hollywoodbets Sharks so far.
Tom Rogers
Despite the Welsh woes of late, Rogers managed to score a magnificent try for Wales in their Six Nations encounter with the mighty Ireland earlier this year.
Having debuted for the Scarlets in 2017, Rogers also excelled on the sevens circuit before a breakthrough season for the Scarlets in 2020 led to his Wales debut the following year, against Canada. More standout performances for the Scarlets earned Rogers a call-up to the Welsh training squad for RWC 2023.
Following the 2025 Six Nations, the 26-year-old toured Japan with Wales in the summer, and he has 11 test caps to date.
FACTS, STATS & TRIVIA
SCRUMMAGING SUPERIORITY
Over the years, the scrum has evolved from a basic restart into a chief weapon of destruction. The Springboks’ supremacy in world rugby is squarely based on dominance at the set piece. And, although they have yet to fire on all cylinders, the Hollywoodbets Sharks are currently the scrummaging powerhouse in the VURC…
Three weeks ago, in Newport, Wales, the Hollywoodbets Sharks monstered the Dragons at scrum time, yet they only managed to draw the contest 1717 - albeit in torrid playing condi-tions. And, a fortnight ago, even though they lost to the defending VURC champions, Leinster, in Dublin, the Durbanbased frontline unit also shunted the Irishmen backwards on occasion. If they can start maximising their scrummaging superiority, there is no reason why the Hol-lywoodbets Sharks can’t again establish themselves as one of the top teams in the competi-tion…
Did you know:
* The Hollywoodbets Sharks have thus far in the 2025-26 VURC won 34 scrums and lost none for a 100% efficiency rate at the set piece.
* So far, they have also enforced no fewer than 17 scrum penalties.
* The Hollywoodbets Sharks enjoyed clear ascendancy at scrum time in all four matches thus far, including against the defending champions, Leinster.
* Significantly, yet not surprisingly, the top three scrummaging units in the current VURC are all South African, with the Stormers and Bulls occupying the second and third spots, re-spectively, on the scrum stats table.
WELCOME TO
THE SHARKS ACADEMY
THE SHARKS ACADEMY IS A WORLD-CLASS SOCCER AND RUGBY ACADEMY WHICH IS BACKED BY STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHARKS.
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GLASGOWWARRIORS VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS | 35-19
DRAGONS RFC VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS | 17-17
LEINSTER RUGBY VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS | 31-5
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS ULSTER RUGBY | 26-34
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS SCARLETS
LIONS VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS VODACOM BULLS
DHL STORMERS VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS DHL STORMERS
VODACOM BULLS
