Siya: We stand with Jaden

Siya Kolisi says those criticising Jaden Hendrikse for winking at Jack Crowley during last Saturday’s penalty shootout at Kings Park must “get over it”. SIMON BORCHARDT reports.

The Sharks were accused of “shameless gamesmanship” when scrumhalf Hendrikse went down with cramp after slotting his second attempt of the shootout and received treatment from the hosts’ medical team.

Crowley was forced to wait two and a half minutes to take his kick, after which the Munster flyhalf told a Sharks medical team member to “f**k off”.

Kolisi did not hold back when asked about the incident on Tuesday.

“We stand with Jaden,” he said. “Jaden is competitive and there had been banter throughout the game. It’s normal and these things happen. People can say what they like, but there was banter between two players and that’s all there is [to it]. Jaden knows that we back him all the way. You can see he cramped, there was definitely cramping.

“People must just get over it,” the Springbok skipper added. “It’s rugby, it’s entertainment. That’s what the fans want. Players want to celebrate, do what they do and be themselves, and we’ve all got our own ways of dealing with stuff on the field.

“Come on, we can’t box each other and all be the same. We’re not robots, we’re human beings. Sometimes we will take it and sometimes we will give it.”

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The Sharks’ 6-4 penalty shootout win, after the Vodacom URC quarter-final had ended 24-24, set up a blockbuster semi in Pretoria this Saturday.

The Sharks beat the Bulls twice during the league stage of the tournament – 20-17 at Kings Park in December and 29-19 at Loftus in February – before going on to win the SA Shield and finish third on the overall log, one place behind their Pretoria rivals.

While teams always say they know what to expect from a team like the Bulls, Kolisi said “it’s difficult to prepare for them”.

He explained: “They’ve scored most of their tries from lineouts [this season], they’re a good mauling side and they actually play a lot [with ball in hand] off the top. They can score from counter-attacks and turnovers too.

“They have strong loose forwards who can contest at the breakdown. [Bulls No 8] Cameron Hanekom has been amazing this season, which is why he’s one of the contenders for [SA URC] Player of the Year. The way Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been playing lately at loosehead prop … We know there’s going to be a big challenge up front.”

“Then you have guys in the backline like [scrumhalf] Embrose [Papier], who’s been amazing; [veteran fullback] Willie [le Roux], who takes charge and directs their attack; and wingers like Canan [Moodie] who can finish and make good decisions on the outside.

“We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them.”

URC REWIND: Bulls vs Sharks

The Sharks have won eight matches by seven or fewer points in this season’s URC. And with a core of experienced Springboks who won three successive playoff matches at the 2023 World Cup by a single point, John Plumtree’s team knows how to find a way to win when it matters.

“It does help [having playoffs experience],” Kolisi said. “You know in the back of your mind that you’ve been there before. But it also helps you to talk to the other [inexperienced] guys next to you.

“Panic will not help you [in those situations], it’s all about calm heads. And guys like Eben [Etzebeth], Bongi [Mbonambi] and Andre [Esterhuizen] take charge and calm the guys down. They tell the guys to focus on the next job and that all that matters is the next job.

“You’ve just got to deal with what’s in front of you and be present in the moment. If you’re going to worry about the scoreboard and what’s to come instead of what’s happening right now, that’s when you lose the plot.”

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images