Ethan Hooker eager to make Kings Park roar again as Sharks eye Ulster scalp

After a bruising tour that yielded no wins but plenty of lessons, the Sharks are back home and determined to reignite their United Rugby Championship campaign when they host Ulster at Kings Park on Saturday (4pm kick-off).

For young back Ethan Hooker, the return to Durban is more than just another fixture — it’s a homecoming he’s been counting down to following his maiden journey with the Springboks and playing in their final match of their URC tour

“Our first home game is a big one,” Hooker said ahead of the clash. “We don’t really want to lose home games. We want to come firing out of the blocks and hopefully it lasts for 80 minutes.”

The Sharks endured a tough start to their season abroad, falling to the Glasgow Warriors, drawing with the Dragons and getting thumped by defending champions Leinster. But they showed encouraging signs of improvement, especially as they have a long injury list.

But, with the expected return of several Springboks, including Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and Grant Williams — the Durban outfit are confident of turning their fortunes around.

Hooker, who was one of the standout performers in Rugby Championship for the Boks, believes the energy of the Kings Park crowd can play a crucial role.

“It’s very exciting,” he said. “Obviously I want to come back to do my home team proud. I just feel the vibe is pretty good being back and you almost get that home feeling. I just want to get back and perform.

“The fans can look forward to this game, just as we are. We’ve been training really hard. Exciting things are coming this weekend. I hope it’s going to be a full stadium to watch an exciting game of rugby.

“Just running out onto Kings Park again — I miss that feeling and the home crowd. I’m really keen to get back into that.”

Hooker expects a stern test from the Irish visitors, who sit among the early pace-setters in the competition.

“They are very clinical and physical,” he warned. “We’ve just got to match that and overpower them — use our big, experienced forwards to get over the gainline. Hopefully the backs can round off and we can get those points on offer.”