‘Andre the Giant’ keeps feet on the ground as Sharks eye Stormers double

Sharks skipper André Esterhuizen remains humble, despite his leadership being credited with playing a huge role in the team’s recent revival.

The Durban outfit arguably reached the high point of their season so far under coach JP Pietersen with Saturday’s URC victory over the high-flying Stormers. Esterhuizen led from the front once again and rightfully received many of the plaudits, but he feels that much of the credit should go to a mindset shift from the players.

“It’s definitely not me, the turnaround. I think it’s the buy-in from all the players and obviously everyone being on the same page,” he said at an online media conference as they gear up to host the Stormers in Saturday’s return match at Kings Park.

“I think we’ve changed a bit of the mindset around the group, lifting the standards, lifting the standards of training. And if your training picks up and you train better, you’re going to play better. It’s definitely more a mindset change. It’s not like we don’t have the talent; it’s just everyone performing to their best every weekend.”

To those looking in from the outside, Esterhuizen seems to be a born leader, but he admits the armband was not something he actively sought.

“At first it was a bit strange for me but I think I’m getting used to it now. It is obviously nice to lead a team. It wasn’t under the best circumstances, just to come in, but when you have the backing of the boys and the backing of the coaching staff, then it makes it so much easier,” he said.

“I don’t think it was something that I worked for solely. I think I do it a little bit differently than other people. I don’t think I went for that role but at the moment I’m glad I got it.

"Everybody leads differently. The nice thing here is there are so many leaders in the team as well. And you can’t preach if you don’t do, so I need to lead by example – more by doing than speaking.”

Having made the shift from centre to flanker in the second half of last weekend’s historic 30-19 triumph over the Stormers at DHL Stadium, the versatile Esterhuizen has also downplayed the likelihood of a repeat this weekend.

“Andre the Giant” dropped into the back row after Manu Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi and replacement flanker Siya Kolisi all sustained injuries. With Matt Romao also on the injury list, coach Pietersen suggested, tongue-in-cheek, that Esterhuizen and Bok centre partner Ethan Hooker could end up on the flanks for Saturday’s showdown in the Shark Tank.

“I think we’ve got enough world-class loose forwards at URC level in the club, from youngsters to old boys, so unless it’s injury cover or something happens in the game like this weekend... I don’t think it will probably happen again,” Esterhuizen said.

The Sharks are bracing for a backlash from their coastal rivals, who suffered their first defeat of the season — and their first in the URC against the Sharks in Cape Town — last weekend.

Kick-off at Kings Park is at 5pm on Saturday.