Sharks player ratings: ‘Incredible’ Andre Esterhuizen with yet another ‘masterclass’ as rising star’s stunning hat-trick makes Springboks statement
Following a 46-7 victory over Benetton in the United Rugby Championship clash at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday, here are the player ratings for the Sharks.
15 Jaco Williams: Some lovely back-of-the-hand offloads with Edwill van der Merwe often the recipient. Williams, playing at full-back rather than on the wing, was a constant threat and linked nicely with his right wing, gaining an assist for the first try. 7
14 Edwill van der Merwe: You can’t argue with two tries. Although the first owed much to the brilliance of Williams, it still wasn’t an easy offload to take, while the second was an outstanding finish. Looked a threat every time he had the ball and also chased well. 7
Star centres
13 Jurenzo Julius: Produced a moment of magic for his try as he stepped, swivelled and fended his way past three defenders for the first try and was even more involved in the second period, touching down two more times to complete his hat-trick. It was another sign of his talent and, if the Sharks can get some more cohesiveness in the backline, they will see even more of it. 9
12 Andre Esterhuizen (c): Once again, the focal point in attack. It says a lot that Esterhuizen has been as good as he has, considering the Durban outfit have struggled to find any rhythm behind the scrum this season. Another incredible display from the Springboks centre, who should have got the man of the match award following this masterclass. 9
11 Makazole Mapimpi: Most of his best work was chasing kicks, which he did incredibly well, but his game ended following a nasty high shot from Benetton’s Jacob Umaga. 6
10 Zekhethelo Siyaya: After moving from full-back to fly-half, it was certainly fun to watch as Siyaya got his hands on the ball even more. His passing was crisp enough while he showed off his running talents on a number of occasions. The playmaker’s goal-kicking needs plenty of work, however. 8
9 Bradley Davids: Doesn’t get too many opportunities with Jaden Hendrikse and Grant Williams on the roster, but he is certainly more than good enough at this level. Davids provided decent tempo from the base and his box-kicking was accurate. 7
8 Nick Hatton: A late replacement after Manu Tshituka pulled out, and the number eight stepped up nicely, being one of their primary carriers and pretty much always making ground. 7
7 Vincent Tshituka: Without his brother on Saturday, but it felt like there were two of them on the field on Saturday. Another to carry well into the heart of the Benetton defence, while Tshituka is always a useful presence in the lineout when competing for opposition ball. 8
6 Siya Kolisi: Just his second appearance since returning from injury, but the Springboks captain has got up to speed pretty quickly. Was abrasive in the carry and was his typical workhorse self in other areas. 7
Set-piece superiority
5 Emile van Heerden: The Sharks didn’t have to make many tackles, but when they did, he tended to be to the fore, while their lineout was extremely solid with Van Heerden the go-to man in an excellent set-piece display. 8
4 Jason Jenkins: Provided the brute force in the second-row pairing, with Jenkins’ weight useful support behind the props. He ultimately did his job without being one of the Sharks’ main protagonists. 6
3 Vincent Koch: Benetton started well, but the scrum was one of the weapons they used to turn the tide. Koch was part of a dominant set-piece as they regularly shunted the Italians into reverse. 7
2 Eduan Swart: A good all-round shift from the hooker, who was efficient in the lineout and was a presence around the field during his 50-odd minutes on the field. 7
1 Ox Nche: It was a shame JP Pietersen took him off relatively early, as Nche was enjoying his time on the field. As ever, he marched forwards in the scrum while also contributing plenty in the loose, including some big carries. 8
Replacements: Litelihle Bester’s impact off the bench was one of the best you will see after he came on for Mapimpi. Bester, who individually deserves a 9, was absolutely superb in all facets and was the best of the bench, but the front-row remained on top in the set-piece while the half-backs, Ross Braude and Jean Smith, linked nicely. 8
READ MORE: Sharks v Benetton: Result, match details, stats, line-ups