Sharks vs Stormers - 30 Nov 2024 by Sharks Uncaged

STORMS COMING

LOCAL DERBIES TAKE CENTRE STAGE

Two consecutive Vodacom URC derby clashes with the Stormers and Bulls will set The Shark Tank alight before Christmas. The first of the two local battles, with the Stormers, has already sparked immense public interest, with a bumper crowd expected today to spur on the high-riding Hollywoodbets Sharks…

When the Vodacom United Rugby Championship went into recess a month ago to accommodate the recent and, indeed, thrilling Autumn Nations Series, the Hollywoodbets Sharks, Lions and Bulls were flying the flag for South Africa.

As things stand on the URC table ahead of this weekend’s action, the Bulls (19) are lying third, 10 championship points adrift of the table-topping Leinster, and the Lions (18) joint fourth, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks (15) have moved up into ninth spot courtesy of back-to-back wins against the defending champions, Glasgow Warriors, and Irish giants, Munster.

John Plumtree’s charges were again highly impressive against the latter, especially before the break when they already led 31-10,

not least of all scrumhalf Grant Williams, who grabbed headlines at Twickenham a fortnight ago with his supreme solo try in South Africa’s heartstopping 29-20 win against England. Williams was also a standout performer for the Hollywoodbets Sharks against Munster.

“Grant is such a threat, quick enough to take any little space,” Plumtree acknowledged before elaborating on the massive impact of the Boks.

“The URC is such a tough competition that one needs to have your full-strength side available as often as possible. At full strength, we are a very, very good side.

“The reality, though, is that we are not able to have a full-strength side all the time. We can play without some of the Boks, but it is hard to win without all of them.

“So the challenges just keep coming; there are lots to deal with throughout a URC campaign.”

bagging a full haul of championship points with five spectacular tries towards their comprehensive 41-24 dismantling of the 2022-23 URC champions.

“It was great to get two consecutive wins at home, and to do so in front of such a big crowd was a bonus,” Plumtree observed following the victory over Munster.

“It was always the plan to get as many points as possible on the board before the break. Conceding two consolation tries at the end was not ideal, and although Munster deserve credit for their ruthlessness close to the line, we need to ensure that we do not get into that position going forward.”

The Hollywoodbets Sharks are today welcoming back a host of Springbok stars,

“IT WAS ALWAYS THE PLAN TO GET AS MANY POINTS AS POSSIBLE ON THE BOARD BEFORE THE BREAK..."

Today, the Hollywoodbets Sharks host a Stormers outfit, which have had their fair share of challenges to deal with in the current competition. The Cape Town-based side are languishing at the bottom end of the URC table, in 13th position, having won only two of their first five matches.

Local derbies, however, are traditionally a different prospect altogether, and the Stormers can be expected to put up a titanic tussle tonight. After all, the last time the Hollywoodbets Sharks were able to beat their Cape counterparts was in 2021.

Plumtree’s men will be fizzing to rectify this little detail while, at the same time, consolidating their URC challenge ahead of the next home big derby, against the Bulls, on December 21.

WORDS: ALBERT HEENOP

A TEST-CALIBRE ASSET

One of the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ recent recruits, and a significant acquisition too, is this amiable former Leinster giant. Jason Jenkins has his sights set on conquering Europe with the Durbanbased outfit and staking a serious claim for more green and gold honours…

Jason Jenkins may be a first-choice for the Springbok second-row come Rugby World Cup 2027.

So says the legendary Bok lock and SuperSport analyst, Victor Matfield.

"I actually thought he would be in the 2023 Springboks RWC squad,” Matfield told the Irish Mirror earlier this year.

"He is coming back to South Africa and will go into a good Sharks team, so we will see him in the Springbok jersey very soon. I see him as the guy who will take over from Eben Etzebeth, that hard-working, tough guy who is in your face all the time.”

Although he has only a single test cap for South Africa to date, Jenkins established himself over the past couple of seasons as a key exponent in the imposing pack of Irish giants Leinster. And, he is fizzing to go from strength to strength with the Hollywoodbets Sharks.

“I love the new challenge and am super excited with what’s happening in the Shark Tank,” says the 28-year-old, who turns 29 on Monday.

“On the eve of Leinster’s Investec Champions Cup final against Toulouse in May, I watched the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ triumph in the EPCR Challenge Cup final on TV in my London hotel room. It was a most impressive performance; one could sense that they were playing for each other and just how much it meant to them to beat Gloucester.

“The Hollywoodbets Sharks are clearly on the right track; John Plumtree is busy putting together something special, and the fact they have also qualified for the Champions Cup is very exciting.

“Being able to play with Bok bruisers like Eben and Bongi Mbonambi is also very stimulating.”

Interestingly enough, Jenkins, born on December 2, 1995, in Pretoria, only started playing rugby at 16 years of age.

“I wasn’t exposed to the game at primary school and, even at St Alban's College, focussed on cricket,” he recalls. “Thus, my sporting heroes were cricketers like Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher and Herschelle Gibbs.

“In Grade 11, however, I was determined to play at least one game of rugby before leaving school, and by the end of the season, I was fortunate enough to have made the First XV. The Blue Bulls took notice of me in matric and offered me a junior contract.

“That’s how the dream was born.”

Jenkins went on to accumulate almost 60 Super Rugby caps for the Bulls from 2016 to 2020 and also spent a couple of seasons with Toyota Verblitz in Japan. His test debut for South Africa in 2018, against Wales in Washington DC, was a bittersweet experience.

“I received a text from Rassie (Erasmus)

early in the week informing me that I would play,” he says.

“Losing 20-22 against the Welsh was a tough baptism of fire, yet it was a breathtaking experience nonetheless and the highlight of my career to date.”

In 2021, Jenkins signed with Munster, but his stint at Limerick was heavily abbreviated through a series of injuries. The next year, Leinster picked him up, and his career simply took off.

Now, following 40 games for the Dublinbased powerhouse, which included two Champions Cup finals, the 2.03 m giant has settled in Durban and is busy making his mark in black, while the green and gold dream is still very vivid.

“I still have aspirations of playing for South Africa,” he admits.

“Playing in a tight five where most of the guys have represented the Boks, is beneficial for my game and my aspirations.”

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS PLAYER PROFILES

BORN: 03/02/1992 HEIGHT: 2.01 m

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS PLAYER PROFILES

AM BORN: 28/11/1993 HEIGHT: 1.86 m WEIGHT: 87KG ETHAN BESTER NTUTHUKO MCHUNU

BORN: 31/08/2004 HEIGHT: 1.86 m BORN: 05/04/1999 HEIGHT: 1.88m

BORN: 27/07/2002 HEIGHT: 2.03m BORN: 23/03/2000

BORN: 22/06/1996 HEIGHT: 1.74m WEIGHT: 77KG

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS

APHELELE FASSI

ETHAN HOOKER

LUKHANYO AM

ANDRE ESTERHUIZEN

MAKAZOLE MAPIMPI

SIYA MASUKU

JADEN HENDRIKSE

SIYA KOLISI (C)

VINCENT TSHITUKA

JAMES VENTER

GERBRANDT GROBLER

JASON JENKINS

VINCENT KOCH

HEAD COACH

JOHN PLUMTREE

MANAGER

TREVOR BARNES

DYLAN RICHARDSON OX NCHE

ETHAN BESTER

NTUTHUKO MCHUNU

TREVOR NYAKANE

CORNE RAHL

PHEPSI BUTHELEZI

MANU TSHITUKA

GRANT WILLIAMS

JORDAN HENDRIKSE

KICK OFF 17H00 REFEREE

MARIUS VAN DER WESTHUIZEN

WARRICK GELANT

SULEIMAN HARTZENBERG

RUHAN NEL

DAN DU PLESSIS (C)

LEOLIN ZAS

SACHA FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU

HERSCHEL JANTJIES

MARCEL THUNISSEN

BEN-JASON DIXON

DAVE EWERS

RUBEN VAN HEERDEN

JD SCHICKERLING

NEETHLING FOUCHE

JOSEPH DWEBA

ALI VERMAAK

ANDRE-HUGO VENTER

BROKE HARRIS

SAZI SANDI

ADRE SMITH

KEKE MORABE

LOUW NEL

STEFAN UNGERER

MANIE LIBBOK

ASSISTANT REFEREES CHRISTOPHER ALLISON, HANRU VAN ROOYEN

MARIUS JONKER

MANAGER

HEAD COACH JOHN DOBSON

CHIPPIE SOLOMON

DHL STORMER PLAYER PROFILES

BORN: 28/04/1986 HEIGHT: 1.76 m WEIGHT: 111KG JD

BORN: 09/05/1992 HEIGHT: 2.03 m WEIGHT: 121KG

BEN-JASON DIXON

29/04/1998

BORN: 25/10/1995 HEIGHT: 1.75m

111KG

120KG BORN: 09/06/ 1999 HEIGHT: 1.92m BORN: 27/10/1997 HEIGHT: 2.00 m WEIGHT: 104KG

22/02/2002 HEIGHT: 1.85m

BORN: 17/05/1991 HEIGHT: 1.89 m WEIGHT: 100KG

BORN: 10/09/2001 HEIGHT: 1.87m

BORN: 22/04/1996 HEIGHT: 1.64m WEIGHT: 77KG

BORN: 20/10/1995 HEIGHT: 1.84m

BORN: 20/05/2003 HEIGHT: 1.87 m WEIGHT: 95KG

20/05/1995 HEIGHT: 1.78m

WEIGHT: 96KG

BORN: 22/02/1985 HEIGHT: 1.83m

BORN: 11/07/1998 HEIGHT: 1.81m

WEIGHT: 120KG WEIGHT: 107KG WEIGHT: 124KG

BORN: 21/04/2001 HEIGHT: 1.86m

BORN: 04/06/1997 HEIGHT: 2.01m WEIGHT: 115KG WEIGHT: 123KG

BORN: 23/11/1997 HEIGHT: 1.85m

WEIGHT: 107KG BORN: 09/08/2002 HEIGHT: 1.90m

BORN: 15/07/1997 HEIGHT: 1.84m

85KG WEIGHT: 76KG

JOSEPH DWEBA

RUBEN VAN HEERDEN

HERSCHEL JANTJIES

ALI VERMAAK

SCHICKERLING

KEKE MORABE

ADRE SMITH

SULEIMAN HARTZENBERG

RUHAN NEL WARRICK GELANT

BROKE HARRIS

ANDRE-HUGO VENTER

SAZI SANDI STEFAN UNGERER

SCRUM-HALF

LOUW NEL

MAJOR MATCHUP SIYA VS SACHA

Today’s coastal derby is shaping up as the battle of the pivots. As one of the heroes of the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ remarkable resurgence and ultimate EPCR Challenge Cup conquest this year, Siya Masuku will be keen to stake a further claim to the Springbok No. 10 jumper.

The 28-year-old scooped the first in a sequence of Man of the Match performances in the Round of 16 Challenge Cup win against Zebre Parma with a hand in at least three tries. In the semi-final victory over Clermont and grand final win against Gloucester, he nailed 16 from 17 shots at goal.

This saw Masuku being included in the initial mid-year Bok squad.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is making his first appearance of the current URC season for the Stormers, having recovered from a knee injury sustained playing for the Springboks in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.

Hailed as South Africa’s crown prince at flyhalf, he is a naturally gifted footballer and highly accurate goal-kicker with a bright future at 22 years of age. Feinberg Mngomezulu, having passed his international baptism of fire this year with flying colours, was nominated for World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year award.

FACTS, STATS & TRIVIA

THE ROAD SO FAR…

The Hollywoodbets Sharks have enjoyed a far more promising start to their Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign than last year. Whereas, at the corresponding time during the 2023-24 season, they had lost their first five matches on the trot, John Plumtree’s charges now boast three wins from their first five outings…

Did you know:

Sep 28: Lose to Connacht 30-36, Galway

Following a promising start to their campaign, the Hollywoodbets Sharks relinquished a handsome 20-point lead in the second half to suffer a disappointing six-point defeat.

They certainly appeared irrepressible during the second quarter, with André Esterhuizen powering through for a brace of tries and Jordan Hendrikse nailing two long-distance penalties to go up 27-7 at the half, but couldn’t maintain the advantage after the break.

Oct 5: Beat Dragons 33-30, Newport Plumtree reiterated the importance of finishing strongly, and his team, following a sluggish start, accomplished that in thrilling style at the death.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks enjoyed ascendancy at scrum time, but a couple of yellow cards complicated matters, and despite having already scored the bonuspoint try, they faced a deficit of 30-26 midway through the second half.

The boys exhibited meritorious patience and tenacity after the siren had already gone to manoeuvre Fez Mbatha across, following 20 successive phases, for the winning try in the 85th minute.

Oct 12: Lose to Benetton 10-38, Treviso

The Italian side stunned the Hollywoodbets Sharks with this resounding win, which highlighted the fact that the Durban-based team had effectively been on the road for five weeks - considering that they had also played the Bulls and Lions away from home during the semi-final and final stages of the Carling Currie Cup.

It was all over at halftime with Benetton leading 24-3 and by three tries to nil. Plumtree afterwards lamented the fact that his side was neither clinical nor ruthless enough on this occasion.

Oct 19: Beat Glasgow Warriors 28-24, Durban

Back at home, and with a host of Springboks back in harness, the Hollywoodbets Sharks brought the defending champions’ winning run of three consecutive victories to a halt with this inspirational performance.

With less than 10 minutes left, Plumtree’s men were comfortably ahead by 28-12 but leaked a couple of late tries that afforded Glasgow a valuable bonus point.

“The returning Boks were a bit rusty while, at the same time, we were giving some of the players that had been on tour a rest. We were trying to pull it all together and get the balance right,” Plumtree observed.

Oct 26: Beat Munster 41-24, Durban

The Hollywoodbets Sharks produced “Bok” rugby at its best.

With almost 20 internationals in their 23-man lineup and spurred on by an enthusiastic crowd of 20,000, this impressive victory was squarely built on the trusted Bok recipe of destructive scrummaging and exhilarating backplay. Munster, nevertheless, refused to take defeat lying down and also achieved a bonus point at the death.

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.

@THESHARKSACADEMY

@SHARKSACADEMY

@SHARKS_ACADEMY

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS EMIRATES LIONS

CONNACHT RUGBY VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS | 36-30

DRAGONS RFC VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS | 30-33

BENETTON RUGBY VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS | 38-10

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS GLASGOW WARRIORS | 28-24

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS MUNSTER RUGBY | 41-24

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS DHL STORMERS

HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS VS VODACOM BULLS

DHL STORMERS VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS

CARDIFF RUGBY VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS

VODACOM BULLS VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS

SHARKS VS ZEBRE PARMA

SHARKS VS LEINSTER RUGBY EDINBURGH

KINGS PARK

TITLE SPONSOR

APPAREL SPONSOR STADIUM SPONSOR

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS

APPAREL SPONSOR STADIUM SPONSOR

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS

MEDIA PARTNERS

MEDICAL SPONSORS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS

STADIUM PARTNERS

COMPETITION SPONSORS

STADIUM PARTNERS

COMPETITION SPONSORS

DEVELOPMENT SPONSORS CLUB SPONSORS

DEVELOPMENT SPONSORS

COMPETITION SPONSORS

ACADEMY SPONSORS