Durban - Sharks midfielder Andre Esterhuizen hopes to prove his worth in the senior team during the Currie Cup this season.
Esterhuizen is one of the standout young talents coming through the system. He showed his potential during Super Rugby earlier this season, and has been a top performer for the Sharks during their current domestic campaign.
The 21-year-old has played wing and centre for the Sharks during the opening rounds, and is enjoying his opportunities.
“My goal is to establish myself as one of the top centres at the Sharks, especially ahead of the next Super Rugby campaign. I want to use this Currie Cup as a platform to showcase my abilities,” Esterhuizen told MyPlayers.co.za.
“I’ve played two matches at wing, and that has helped me a lot. That has given me experience in a different position, which also improves my development in terms of defence and my overall work ethic.
“I’m happy with my performances so far, but there’s always room for improvement. I want to continue improving as a player every weekend.”
While the Sharks have lost two of their opening three matches to date, Esterhuizen added there’s a positive vibe among the players, which contributes to the overall synergy in the squad.
“We were disappointed with our Super Rugby campaign, so we’re using this Currie Cup to rebuild,” said Esterhuizen.
“Our main aim is to improve and to enjoy ourselves. If we can achieve that, we can do very well during the tournament. Maybe even win it.
“We’ve shown massive signs of improvement in recent weeks, so we’re hoping to continue that trend. We face the EP Kings this weekend, and we want to make a strong statement with good collective performance.”
Esterhuizen, who was born and raised in Potchefstroom and attended Klerksdorp High School, said he’s enjoying life in Durban.
“Durban is definitely different to what I’m used to. During winter, we still enjoy some warm weather. The temperature even went up to 25°C. I love it here.”
