Hold onto your hats, rugby fans! The Sale Sharks are charging into the new Premiership season with a South African powerhouse at the helm. Ernst van Rhyn, fresh off inking a three-year contract extension, is the new captain ready to lead the charge.
Van Rhyn, who's been a stalwart in the forward line, is stepping up to take over from Ben Curry. With Curry’s playing time sliced by international duties, Sale's gaffer Alex Sanderson didn’t hesitate to hand the reins over to the 28-year-old Capetonian. As the former lock for Western Province and the Stormers, van Rhyn isn't new to leadership roles, having captained the Western Province in the fiercely competitive Currie Cup back in SA.
"It’s a huge privilege and a massive honour to be chosen to be captain of this club,"
Van Rhyn remarked, reflecting on his journey. “Over the past two years I’ve really enjoyed learning from some of the amazing leaders we’ve got at the club – guys like Ben Curry, George Ford, Rob du Preez, and others are fantastic leaders and I’ve tried to take bits from each of them.” He’s not just about drawing inspiration from his predecessors though. Van Rhyn is all about sticking to his roots, adding, “But it’s also important for me to keep doing what I’m doing because that’s what has got me to this point. I know this role brings more responsibility, but I feel like I’m ready for that.”
This vote of confidence isn’t just internal chatter. The respect van Rhyn commands within the squad is palpable, and it didn’t take long for him to impress the higher-ups at Sale either.
"Ernie made an impression on us straight away with his ability on the field and his leadership off it. He leads by example, he’s respected by everyone at the club and I have no doubt that he’ll be a fantastic captain for us,"
Sanderson enthused, signaling strong seasons ahead for the Sharks with van Rhyn at the forefront.
With the season opener against Gloucester just around the corner, all eyes will be on van Rhyn to see how his leadership unfolds on the big stage. Will the Sale Sharks thrive under their new South African commander? Only time will tell, but the stage is set for some thrilling rugby action!
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Hold onto your hats, rugby fans! The Sale Sharks are charging into the new Premiership season with a South African powerhouse at the helm. Ernst van Rhyn, fresh off inking a three-year contract extension, is the new captain ready to lead the charge.
Van Rhyn, who's been a stalwart in the forward line, is stepping up to take over from Ben Curry. With Curry’s playing time sliced by international duties, Sale's gaffer Alex Sanderson didn’t hesitate to hand the reins over to the 28-year-old Capetonian. As the former lock for Western Province and the Stormers, van Rhyn isn't new to leadership roles, having captained the Western Province in the fiercely competitive Currie Cup back in SA.
"It’s a huge privilege and a massive honour to be chosen to be captain of this club,"
Van Rhyn remarked, reflecting on his journey. “Over the past two years I’ve really enjoyed learning from some of the amazing leaders we’ve got at the club – guys like Ben Curry, George Ford, Rob du Preez, and others are fantastic leaders and I’ve tried to take bits from each of them.” He’s not just about drawing inspiration from his predecessors though. Van Rhyn is all about sticking to his roots, adding, “But it’s also important for me to keep doing what I’m doing because that’s what has got me to this point. I know this role brings more responsibility, but I feel like I’m ready for that.”
This vote of confidence isn’t just internal chatter. The respect van Rhyn commands within the squad is palpable, and it didn’t take long for him to impress the higher-ups at Sale either.
"Ernie made an impression on us straight away with his ability on the field and his leadership off it. He leads by example, he’s respected by everyone at the club and I have no doubt that he’ll be a fantastic captain for us,"
Sanderson enthused, signaling strong seasons ahead for the Sharks with van Rhyn at the forefront.
With the season opener against Gloucester just around the corner, all eyes will be on van Rhyn to see how his leadership unfolds on the big stage. Will the Sale Sharks thrive under their new South African commander? Only time will tell, but the stage is set for some thrilling rugby action!