André Esterhuizen to captain Sharks in 2026/27 URC campaign

Springbok centre André Esterhuizen will captain the Sharks in this season’s United Rugby Championship.

The experienced Springbok midfielder, who has also played at flank in the last season, was announced as the Sharks’ new captain by coach JP Pietersen on Thursday.

Esterhuizen will be supported by two co-captains in lock Emile van Heerden, loose forward Nick Hatton and loose forward Vincent Tshituka.

There are also two new “club captains” in Vincent Koch and Phepsi Buthelezi.

“André has been an outstanding leader for this team and I have absolute faith in him to keep setting that standard on the field,” said Pietersen, who announced his 2026/27 squad a day earlier, on Thursday.

“What makes this group special is the depth around him: Emile, Nick and Vincent Tshituka will share that responsibility as co-captains, while Vincent Koch and Phepsi Buthelezi will work alongside Andre and our coaching staff to drive standards and shared responsibility.

“Every player in this squad has a leader close by, holding the same line. That means all of us – players and coaches alike – are accountable to one another. Nobody is above the standard; everybody is held to it equally. That is the culture our coaching team and this leadership group will drive throughout the season.”

The “club captains” will help drive culture, standards and accountability, while creating closer alignment between the playing squad and team management. Their appointment marks a deliberate evolution in the Sharks’ leadership structure, with a clear distinction between those who drive performance on the field and those who safeguard the standards that make that performance possible.

Esterhuizen’s captaincy centres on the 80 minutes: reading the game, making calls under pressure, driving discipline and inspiring his teammates through his physical example.

The Sharks’ first game of the new URC is next Saturday, against Ospreys, at Kings Park, with kick-off at 4pm.