United Rugby Championship Sharks sign World Cup winner Andre Esterhuizen
View all Sharks Rugby newsHarlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen will return to the Sharks at the end of the season, as reported by RugbyPass.
The Sharks, who are officially known as the Cell C Sharks for sponsorship purposes, are one of South Africa’s finest rugby sides. The team played in various editions of the Super Rugby tournament from 1993 to 2020 and played in the inaugural edition of the Super Rugby Unlocked tournament in 2020.
Read on to learn even more about the Sharks. On this page you’ll find a detailed history of the side. Plus, you’ll also be able to see the latest Sharks Rugby news, results and fixtures.
Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen will return to the Sharks at the end of the season, as reported by RugbyPass.
United Rugby Championship strugglers the Sharks have confirmed the signing of World Cup winning prop Trevor Nyakane, as reported by RugbyPass.
The Sharks, who are officially known as the Cell C Sharks for sponsorship purposes, are one of South Africa’s finest rugby sides. The team played in various editions of the Super Rugby tournament from 1993 to 2020 and played in the inaugural edition of the Super Rugby Unlocked tournament in 2020.
Read on to learn even more about the Sharks. On this page you’ll find a detailed history of the side. Plus, you’ll also be able to see the latest Sharks Rugby news, results and fixtures.
Irish | |||||||||||
Round 4 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Connacht | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Leinster | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Munster | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Ulster | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Irish | |||||||||||
Round 4 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
- Leinster | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 15 | 64 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
- Connacht | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 81 | 138 | -57 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
- Ulster | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 27 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
- Munster | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 20 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
Scottish-Italian | |||||||||||
Round 4 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
- Benetton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Edinburgh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Glasgow | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Zebre | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scottish-Italian | |||||||||||
Round 4 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
- Edinburgh | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 146 | 89 | 57 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
- Glasgow | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 115 | 110 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
- Benetton | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 73 | 150 | -77 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
- Zebre | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 58 | -28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
South African | |||||||||||
Round 4 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
- Bulls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Sharks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Stormers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
South African | |||||||||||
Round 4 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
- Stormers | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 185 | 125 | 60 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 24 |
- Bulls | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 157 | 117 | 40 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 21 |
- Lions | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 64 | -21 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Welsh | |||||||||||
Round 4 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
- Cardiff Rugby | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Gwent Dragons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Ospreys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Scarlets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Welsh | |||||||||||
Round 4 | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | BP T | BP -7 | BP | Total |
- Cardiff Rugby | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 85 | 90 | -5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
- Ospreys | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 82 | 109 | -27 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
- Scarlets | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 37 | -32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Gwent Dragons | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 75 | -55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Irish | |||||||||||
Round 4 | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Connacht | |||||||||||
- Leinster | |||||||||||
- Munster | |||||||||||
- Ulster | |||||||||||
Irish | |||||||||||
Round 4 | |||||||||||
- Leinster | |||||||||||
- Connacht | |||||||||||
- Ulster | |||||||||||
- Munster | |||||||||||
Scottish-Italian | |||||||||||
Round 4 | |||||||||||
- Benetton | |||||||||||
- Edinburgh | |||||||||||
- Glasgow | |||||||||||
- Zebre | |||||||||||
Scottish-Italian | |||||||||||
Round 4 | |||||||||||
- Edinburgh | |||||||||||
- Glasgow | |||||||||||
- Benetton | |||||||||||
- Zebre | |||||||||||
South African | |||||||||||
Round 4 | |||||||||||
- Bulls | |||||||||||
- Lions | |||||||||||
- Sharks | |||||||||||
- Stormers | |||||||||||
South African | |||||||||||
Round 4 | |||||||||||
- Stormers | |||||||||||
- Bulls | |||||||||||
- Lions | |||||||||||
Welsh | |||||||||||
Round 4 | |||||||||||
- Cardiff Rugby | |||||||||||
- Gwent Dragons | |||||||||||
- Ospreys | |||||||||||
- Scarlets | |||||||||||
Welsh | |||||||||||
Round 4 | |||||||||||
- Cardiff Rugby | |||||||||||
- Ospreys | |||||||||||
- Scarlets | |||||||||||
- Gwent Dragons |
When the Sharks first participated in the Super 10 tournament in 1993, they were known simply as Natal. Over the years, the team have undergone several rebrands and name changes, but they’ve been known as the Sharks (they were briefly known as the Coastal Sharks) since the advent of professionalism. When the side first changed names, they were met with huge hostility. However, fast-forward to the current day and fans are proud of the Sharks brand.
The Sharks Rugby team are one of the most successful sides in the history of Super Rugby. Although they never won the tournament, the team regularly featured in the competition’s knockout rounds and they’ve even appeared in the final four times. Notably, the Sharks Rugby team suffered heartbreak in the 2007 final when they were defeated by fellow South African side the Bulls. The Sharks led in the final minute of the tie, but an 82nd-minute converted try gave the Bulls a one-point victory.
When the 2020 edition of Super Rugby was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, South African sides were forced to withdraw from the competition and they instead played in the Super Rugby Unlocked tournament. From 2021, the Sharks Rugby team will play in the newly-formed PRO14 Rainbow Cup at the end of the PRO14 season. Following this, the side will enter an expanded PRO16 tournament.
In their glory days, the Sharks Rugby team featured several international stars like John Smit and Bismarck du Plessis, who both captained the club.
Although the Sharks team does not contain as many household names as it once did, several members of the Sharks Rugby squad have been capped by South Africa, including prop Thomas du Toit, centre and captain Lukhanyo Am and winger Sbu Nkosi.