The little moments often define a quick outcome, but when it takes some evaluation of a season, it is more important to take a bigger, sweeping view of why a season progressed as it did, and what contributed to that.
Finishing the recent Vodacom United Rugby Championship tournament in third place overall was a notable achievement for the Hollywoodbets Sharks, without doubt the finest season they have enjoyed in the tournament since the inclusion of the four South African teams in 2021.
So what factors contributed to their success?
Self-belief
Wins over former champions Glasgow Warriors, the DHL Stormers and Munster all gave the team a heap of self-belief about their ability to not only compete, but to win against top sides. The fact that they did this in successive matches only shows that this was no flash in the pan. Self-confidence comes from a mix of positive influences, the exuberance of youth, the calm, old and experienced heads, a game plan that works and is successfully executed and home ground advantage. Not to forget a powerful desire to win.
Calm Heads
The Hollywoodbets Sharks have built up a truly talented and enviable squad, one filled with Springboks, including double Rugby World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi, and the most capped-ever Bok Eben Etzebeth. Throw in Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Vincent Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi, Jaden Hendrikse, Grant Williams, Jordan Hendrikse, Andre Esterhuizen, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi and Aphelele Fassi and you have a large contingent of the squad who have played at the highest level, who know what it takes to get there, and who know how to win.
Junior Talent
There are so many young players coming through the Hollywoodbets Sharks ranks, with Ethan Hooker probably the most prominent of all. The 22-year old was recently crowned Hollywoodbets Sharks Fans’ Player of the Year, shared the record with Siya Kolisi for nine tries this season and showed how much he has earned the respect of his team-mates, being voted Hollywoodbets Sharks Players’ Player of the Year.
He’s joined by Corne Rahl, Emile van Heerden, Bradley Davids, Jurenzo Julius, Bryce Calvert, Ethan Bester, Nick Hatton and a host of others who have contributed in various ways, but who are the future of the Black & White.
Home Ground Advantage
The Hollywoodbets Sharks enjoyed an enviable home record in the tournament, turning Hollywoodbets Kings Park into a fortress that visiting sides found imposing and nigh impossible to breach.
Home ground was a distinct advantage in the tournament overall, with all seven knock-out matches in the quarter-finals, semis and the final won by the home team.
In the pool matches over the course of 18 weeks, the home team won 64% of the time, with the Hollywoodbets Sharks boasting an admirable home record of 90%, winning nine of their 10 home games at Hollywoodbets Kings Park over the course of the season, with only Leinster, the champions, enjoying a 100% home record, and incidentally, the only team to defeat the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban.
Culture
Under head coach John Plumtree, the Hollywoodbets Sharks have adopted a culture that embraces brotherhood, team values and above all, success.
Plumtree’s first season in charge was very much a learning experience, but in his second, the most recent, he took those learnings and turned them into silverware.
Winning the Carling Currie Cup, the EPCR Challenge Cup and most recently, the SA Shield in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship is all about putting words into action and turning hard work into trophies.
The VURC is a tough tournament and no one team has dominated, with four different winners in the four years it has been running. The Hollywoodbets Sharks have enjoyed an upward trajectory this past season and given what the coaching staff know, the 2025/26 season looks set to reach even greater heights.
