Sharks’ rising star Ethan Hooker: ‘It’s beneficial to play multiple positions’

Talented Sharks back Ethan Hooker is just happy to be getting game time at the highest level, and it doesn’t matter where that is.

Hooker initially made his mark in Sharks colours at centre, but he is now starring out wide on the wing.

“Wherever the coach wants me to play, I’ll play there,” said Hooker this week. “And with a smile on my face.”

The 21-year-old former Westville Boys High pupil has taken well to senior rugby after playing for the SA U20s last year. He has even been talked about as a potential Springbok tourist to Europe next month.

“There are not too many differences between playing wing and outside centre,” Hooker told the Sharks website this week.

“The biggest thing is the back field work which I find helps me a lot to see the game a lot more from a different perspective. Ultimately, playing at wing is going to help me when I go back to playing at centre, so I’m enjoying playing on the wing, although I wouldn’t say I have a preference for it.”

Multiple positions

Hooker has started both of the Sharks’ two United Rugby Championship matches so far this season – against Connacht and the Dragons — and this weekend he’s set to face Benetton in Italy.

Hooker feels his versatility, being able to play in more than one position, could be a benefit in future. A number of Springbok players, for example, are comfortable playing in more than one position.

“In this day and age, it’s a benefit to be able to play in multiple positions, especially if you want to achieve higher honours,” Hooker explained.

“When I was told (by head coach John Plumtree) that I would be playing wing, that just opens more doors, so I’ve used this opportunity to develop my game.

“I see it as more of a benefit that anything else.”

Sharks ‘getting there’

Like most of the Sharks’ fans and observers, Hooker feels it is now time that the star-studded Durban-based team make an impression in the URC, after winning just four games in the competition last season.

“We have a very good side and at the moment we just need to understand just how good we actually are,” he said.

“We’re getting there, game by game. The more we can connect with each other, the better we will be.

“We are a team that’s going to fight to the end and it shows on the field when we win tight games like last week’s against the Dragons (33-30 with a try at the death). It comes down to fighting for a team goal, for fighting for one another and staying in the fight.”

The Sharks’ match against Benetton kicks off at 4pm Saturday.