Sharks make a giant move as Bok bolter Andre Esterhuizen signs until 2030

Esterhuizen cut his teeth at the Sharks before heading for a four-season stint in England with Harlequins. The bruising centre rejoined the Durban franchise in 2024 and has become a key member of the club.

The 32-year-old replaced Siya Kolisi as captain in December and hasn't looked back, picking up several man of the match accolades this United Rugby Championship season. His versatility at flank has also made him a key part of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus' future plans.

The Sharks took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal the contract extension.

"Andre the Giant will continue to rumble forward for the black-and-white," they captioned.

"The Sharks Rugby Club is pleased to announce that Andre Esterhuizen will remain our player until 2030."

Esterhuizen revealed he is honoured to wear the black and white.

"There's been a lot of memories," he said in the video.

"I'm very happy and honoured to wear the jersey."

The news comes at a welcome time for the embattled franchise. A disappointing run of results saw them finish tenth in the URC despite a plethora of Springboks. The franchise was walloped 54-0 by a rampant All Blacks side on Tuesday and a controversial rebranding has not gone down well with fans already starving for results.