5 May 2023
When new Sharks coach John Plumtree plots the way forward for the Sharks, two products of the KZN schools’ system will be at the heart of his planning.
Phepsi Buthelezi (23) and Ntuthuko Mchunu (24) have just had their contracts extended at the Sharks and are clearly seen as the future of the Durban team.
Plumtree is known to be big on team culture and as far as possible wants to bring through local talent. Buthelezi and Mchunu were head boys at DHS and Maritzburg College respectively, while also currently in the Sharks squad are other locally schooled youngsters in James Venter (Glenwood), Dylan Richardson (Kearsney), Jaden Hendrikse (Glenwood), Kerron van Vuuren (Glenwood), Fez Mbatha (Maritzburg College), Khutha Mchunu (Glenwood), Jeandre Labuschagne (Maritzburg College), and Mpilo Gumede (DHS).
Richardson has played for Scotland, Hendrikse is a certainty to travel to the World Cup with the Springboks, while loosehead prop Mchunu is likely to add to the Springbok cap he earned in July last year when he played against Wales in Bloemfontein.
Leadership
Buthelezi has captained the Sharks in the Currie Cup and there are many critics who believe he has the leadership qualities to one day captain South Africa.
He is a classic rags-to-riches story. Buthelezi’s roots are in Hluhluwe in rural Zululand and, via a great DHS team, he played SA Schools in 2017, SA Under-20 in 2018 and in 2022 he played for the SA A side.
Phepsi Buthelezi – Journey of Hope – YouTube
Of course, 2017 was a fine year for a DHS side that also included scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba, formerly of the Sharks and currently with the Lions. That year Buthelezi led the DHS First XV to a remarkable 20-17 defeat of arch-enemies Glenwood – DHS’ first victory over the “Green Machine” in 11 years.
Spectacular
Mchunu was tipped as the Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira of the future two years’ ago when he exploded through the defence of the Lions to score a spectacular 50m try for the Sharks.
Great prop try by Ntuthuko Mchunu of the Sharks – YouTube
Mchunu is also from rural KZN, hailing from Greytown, and The Beast himself has described him as “the real deal”.
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