The Hollywoodbets Sharks face a testing and challenging period leading into Christmas and beyond as they return from the tournament recess and focus on their Vodacom United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup commitments over the forthcoming month.
With a host of Springboks away on national duty for the Autumn International window, and their final game of the month-long campaign taking in a clash with Wales this weekend, the Hollywoodbets Sharks will have to make do without some of their test match players for this weekend’s VURC clash with Connacht.
The Irish side holds sway in the success stakes, having won three of the four clashes between the two sides, with the Hollywoodbets Sharks winning the 2022 match 41-21 at Hollywoodbets Kings Park. Since then, the teams have met twice at Dexcom Stadium, Connacht’s home ground since 1927, with the home team taking the spoils on both occasions.
The following week, on Sunday 7 December, the Hollywoodbets Sharks are in France for their Champions Cup opener against one of the tournament’s greatest teams, Toulouse, who won the inaugural tournament (the Heineken Cup) in 1995/96 and have gone on to win the trophy a further five times, most recently in 2023/24.
Hollywoodbets Sharks tour squad:
Backs: Yaw Penxe, Ross Braude, Jean Smith, Jurenzo Julius, Jaden Hendrikse, Hakeem Kunene, Francois Venter, Edwill van der Merwe, George Whitehead, Grant Williams, Jordan Hendrikse, Le Roux Malan, Makazola Mapimpi.
Forwards: Willem van den Hever, Vincent Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi, Nick Hatton, Mawande Madanda, Marvin Orie, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, Fez Mbatha, Emmanuel Tshituka, Eduan Swart, Cebo Dlamini, Emile van Heerden, Hanro Jacobs, Jason Jenkins, Matt Romao, Phatu Ganyane.