Springbok hybrid player André Esterhuizen will take what he learned at the Sharks last season and apply it at the Springboks.
Springbok centre/flanker André Esterhuizen will become the national team’s 68th Test captain on Sunday. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
André Esterhuizen’s selection as Springbok captain, instead of other players who have already held that honour, serves several purposes, says head coach Rassie Erasmus.
‘Hybrid’ player Esterhuizen will become the country’s 68th Test captain when he runs onto the field at inside centre against the Wallabies in their one-off Test at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday (kick-off 11.45am).
That, despite the most-capped Springbok Eben Etzebeth and flyhalf Handré Pollard being more senior players in the side who have captained the national team before – though for Pollard it was just once against Wales in 2022.
Regular captain Siya Kolisi, and stand-ins Jesse Kriel and Pieter-Steph du Toit, are among the players being rested for the game.
Sharks Players’ Player of the Year
Esterhuizen was also only made captain at the Sharks for the first time last season, when JP Pietersen took over as head coach from John Plumtree mid-season.
Pietersen regularly credited Esterhuizen’s leadership style, which rallied the players. However, they still finished 10th in the United Rugby Championship, failed to progress past the Champions Cup group stage and were knocked out in the Challenge Cup round of 16.
The Durban union didn’t win a single match in Europe all season.
Still, Esterhuizen’s influence was such that he was named the Sharks Players’ Player of the Year.
“We feel the way he has been carrying himself as Sharks captain when they went through a tough time; I thought he pulled them together with JP and the setup there,” Erasmus said after naming his team on Tuesday.
“We could have made Eben captain, Handré… there are many guys that we could have made captain. But what he’s meant at our team, serving the team a hell of a lot.”
Erasmus said Esterhuizen was always willing to do what was asked of him, whether it be playing behind Damian de Allende and Damian Willemse in the pecking order, joining the scrum training and packing down at flanker when needed, or covering both positions from the bench.
“A guy like Eben Etzebeth, captain or not, he’ll always bring the same attitude – a wise and calm head. Handré, we always know what he’s doing… we are trying to build our leadership group that way.”
Esterhuizen gives Springboks another option
Erasmus said officially making Esterhuizen captain was about strengthening the leadership group and preparing for the future, including next year’s World Cup in Australia.
“We just feel we would love to see him in this situation against a strong Australian team. It will also help us as a team going forward into matches closer to the World Cup, to have more guys who know what it feels like to lead the Springboks.
“If we get a couple of injuries… and we have to press somebody’s number, André will be another one.”
The Springbok coach also wanted his senior players to have “the same voice”. Esterhuizen’s experience will help him support the other captains better.
