Sharks powerhouse André Esterhuizen set to celebrate 100th appearance against familiar foes

It took him a while to reach 100 international matches for the Sharks after an overseas stint with Harlequins, but André Esterhuizen always knew that Durban was the place where his heart lies and where he was coming back to.

The hybrid player, as he was dubbed at the Springboks for being comfortable both in the backline and among the forwards, will reach the milestone on Saturday when the coastal side faces Saracens at Kings Park in the second round of the European Champions Cup.

Esterhuizen (31) will follow in the footsteps of his former centre partner at the Sharks, Lukhanyo Am, who reached his 100 caps in May this year.

The Klerksdorp-born Bok will embrace the tough challenge ahead, but said that as a young boy, he never imagined he would play 100 international matches for the Durbanites.

“It took me a while to get there, but it’s obviously a massive honour to play my 100th game for a franchise like the Sharks,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to it, and as I said, I was always going to come back after my stint at Harlequins, and I’m just excited for this weekend and very honoured. I never thought that I would play 100 games for the Sharks, and I am happy to pull the jersey over my head for the 100th time.”

According to Esterhuizen, they did not dwell too long on last weekend's loss against Toulouse in France, with their focus quickly shifting toward what awaits on Saturday. He was fortunate to play plenty of matches against Saracens in the English Premiership in the past and has a strong indication of what to expect.

He is one of the returning Springboks the Sharks will rely on to turn their fortunes around as they hunt their first European victory in front of their supporters. While he has been a pillar of strength for the Boks as a hybrid — slotting in at flank when needed — Esterhuizen is set to resume his place in the midfield for his franchise.

“I am still playing centre; I have always been a centre and have just covered loose forward. If we do get a card, then I can still cover flank, but that is about it. We also haven't chatted too much about the loss; those boys who played there only arrived on Tuesday.

“We have reviewed the match in terms of the game plan and execution, but for most of us, the focus has been on Saracens. We didn't dwell too much on the past weekend’s game.”