ISIDLAKELA esisha seCell C Sharks, u-Eben Etzebeth, sodumo eqenjini lesizwe kumaBhokobhoko sesijahe ukunikela enkundleni njengomdlali waleli qembu laseThekwini, njengoba sesize sagcina sithelekile sisuka kwiToulon yaseFrance.
U-Etzebeth omenyezelwe njengomdlali omusha weSharks ezinyangeni eziyisishiyagambili ezedlule, uphoqelekile ukuthi azihlale eFrance, lapho ebeqedela khona inkontileka yakhe.
Ngemuva kokuphela kwenkontileka, lo mdlali ujoyine ikhempu yamaBhokobhoko eqale yadlala neWales, kwalandela iCastle Lager Rugby Championship esanda kusongwa.
Yize iSharks yenza kahle kwiVodacom Rugby Championship esanda kuqala, akucaci ukuthi uzobonakala nini edlala eqenjini lakhe elisha u-Etzebeth.
Lesi sikhondlakhondla esineminyaka engu-30 ubudala, sitshele ithimba labezindaba leSharks ukuthi asiboni kuzoba inkinga ukujwayela ngoba kukhona umngani waso, uSiya Kolisi, nabanye abazela eqenjini lesizwe njengoBongi Mbonambi, Lukhanyo AM, Makazole Mapimpi noThomas du Toit.
“Sengijahile ukuthi kuqale yonke into ngizwe nokuthi kunjani ukuba isakhamuzi saseThekwini. Wonke umuntu oxhumene neSharks kufanele kumcacele ukuthi kukhona okukhulu okwakhiwayo kuleli qembu,” kusho u-Etzebeth.
“Ngiqala isahluko esisha empilweni yami ngakho-ke ngineme futhi kungithokozisa kakhulu ukuthi ngeke ngisidinge isikhathi sokujwayela ngoba iningi labadlali ngilazela eqenjini lesizwe.
“Mina noKolisi siqale ukuba ngabangani sisadlala emaqenjini abaneminyaka engaphansi kwengu-19 ngakho-ke ngeke kubenzima kangako ukujwayela ngoba bakhona noMbonambi, Mapimpi, Du Toit no-AM,” kusho lo mdlali.
“Ngikitazwa ukudlala kwiShark Tank kanti nokubhekana namaqembu afana no-Emirates Lions, DHL Stormers ne-Vodacom Bulls kweyabakhaya kuzongijabulisa ngayo yonke indlela.”