Rugby news from KwaZulu-Natal:
RISING STAR: JURENZO JULIUS:
Namibian-born Hollywoodbets Sharks centre Jurenzo Julius is a rising star, and at just 20 years old, he’s already making serious waves in the rugby world. With each game, his role in the Hollywoodbets Sharks continues to grow – proof that he’s a talent destined for greatness.
Julius’s rugby journey kicked off at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, where his raw talent caught the eye of top teams across the country. He made his Hollywoodbets Sharks debut against Connacht in September 2024, and since then, he’s been electrifying fans with his explosive carries and fearless play.
This season alone, Julius has suited up for nine Vodacom United Rugby Championship (VURC) matches, racking up two tries, 30 successful carries, nine clean breaks, and beating 21 defenders – earning himself 10 points along the way. His impact didn’t stop there. In two Investec Champions Cup clashes, he crossed the try line three times, adding another 15 points to his tally—all before his 21st birthday in May.
His standout performances haven’t gone unnoticed. Just last week, he was crowned Junior Springbok Player of the Year at the SA Rugby Awards for his stellar 2024 season. On top of that, he’s been invited to the first Springbok alignment camp – another major step toward the international stage.
This is only the beginning for Julius. His future in rugby is set to be thrilling, and we’re proud to see him don the black and white of the Hollywoodbets Sharks as he continues his meteoric rise.
The post RISING STAR: JURENZO JULIUS appeared first on The Sharks Durban.
MAINTAINING THE FORTRESS:
The Hollywoodbets Sharks are back in action this weekend after a week’s bye in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship as they shift their focus away from the SA Shield and into the final third of the tournament.
Zebre comes to Hollywoodbets Kings Park to face a confident Hollywoodbets Sharks side that has not once faltered at home this season. They’ve defeated Glasgow Warriors, Munster, the DHL Stormers, Vodacom Bulls and Emirates Lions at what has become a home fortress.
Winning at home is a must for any team harbouring ambitions of success, along with as many away wins as possible to add to the tally. Being undefeated at your home ground is not only a motivation, but also adds to the visiting team’s concerns over the relative impossibility of actually causing an upset.
For the Hollywoodbets Sharks, fresh from a bye following their bonus point victory over the Emirates Lions, this weekend offers another opportunity to maintain their home fortress.
“The boys took the week off after the Emirates Lions game, but had their own individual programmes,” explains head coach John Plumtree, who is hopeful of welcoming back some major firepower in the next few weeks.
“For us, it’s about taking it one week at a time, we’ll be trying to get some of the boys back onboard which will help, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi and Makazole Mapimpi will hopefully all come back over the next three weeks.”
With six more rounds of the tournament to negotiate, the Hollywoodbets Sharks are sitting pretty in fourth place on the log, with a handy six-point lead over the chasing pack, led by Munster in fifth place.
The bonus point victory over the Emirates Lions also secured the South African Shield, the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ third trophy in the last year.
“Winning the SA Shield is an indication that we are heading in the right direction,” says Plumtree. “We aren’t quite there, but over the next couple of years we will be.”
Having been unbeaten at home, the Hollywoodbets Sharks go into this game against Zebre knowing that a continuation of their home form is vital. A top four finish guarantees a home quarter-final and while the knock-out stages will not be uppermost in their minds, it will certainly contribute to their motivation.
“It’s massively important for us to win at home,” he explains “We love playing at home in front of our fans.”
Zebre go into this match in confident form themselves, having won their last three games, defeating the likes of Dragons, Edinburgh and Ulster.
However, their form in Durban has not been as competitive, having lost on the two previous occasions the two teams met at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
They went down to the Hollywoodbets Sharks 47-3 in last year’s EPCR Challenge Cup, and lost 38-6 in March, 2022 and may be missing players who were involved in the recently-concluded Six Nations internationals.
Six rounds of the tournament remain before the table-topping Irish side Leinster visit Durban in the final game in March. Week 15 of 18 sees the Hollywoodbets Sharks off to Scotland to take on Edinburgh before hopping on a flight to Ireland to tackle Ulster, and then closing out the pool stages with home games against the Welsh duo of Ospreys and Scarlets.
But first, Zebre…
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GET READY FOR SHARKSFEST:
It’s that time again – SharksFest is almost here! That’s right, the biggest party in Durban is back to celebrate YOU, the Warrior Nation, for your enduring support of the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
As always, we have an absolutely insane day planned for you. Of course, we’ve got the action on the field when we take on Leinster Rugby, who are currently leading the Vodacom United Rugby Championship table. But the off-field entertainment is just as good.
There’s a little something for everyone during SharksFest. Expect live music, incredible performances, food markets, fireworks, exciting giveaways, beer and gin gardens, and so much more.
Our last SharksFest in December 2024 brought in a crowd of over 34 000 eager Warrior Nation fans. Unfortunately, the rain forced us to cancel our epic live post-match performance. But the rain won’t stop us this time around. We’ve got Veranda Panda taking to the stage to wow the crowd with an epic post-match performance.
If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, what are you waiting for? We’re already 50% sold out, so grab your tickets now before they’re gone!
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