Durban-born Ethan Hooker attended Westville Boys' High School, where he began as a loose forward before moving into the midfield. Not heavily recruited out of school, he joined the Sharks on a training arrangement before earning a full contract, and represented South Africa Under-20 at the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship, scoring a try on debut against Georgia.
He made his senior Sharks debut in the URC in January 2023 against Connacht. In 2024 he started the EPCR Challenge Cup final win over Gloucester and the Currie Cup final against the Lions, scoring a try as the Sharks completed a trophy double, before featuring in the Champions Cup.
Hooker made his Springbok debut in July 2025 against Italy in Gqeberha, earned his first Test start in the record win over New Zealand in Wellington, and was a 2025 Rugby Championship winner and World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year nominee. One of the URC's most exciting young strike runners, his rise shows no sign of slowing.
