Masuku magic steering Hollywoodbets Sharks home

Out of the race for a Vodacom United Rugby Championship top eight finish, the Hollywoodbets Sharks have put their faith in the inspirational Siya Masuku to rebuild their home ground into a fortress.

The 27-year-old flyhalf has taken a long road to the bright lights of Durban's fabled arena, but Masuku did not hesitate when given the opportunity to make a splash at the Hollywoodbets Sharks.

Riding the wave of three successive man-of-the-match performances, four in his last five matches, Masuku has taken just four Vodacom URC starts to show his value as the chief playmaker in Durban.

His Hollywoodbets Sharks debut came in a 29-minute cameo off the bench in the coastal derby against the DHL Stormers at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Round 10, inspiring a turnaround that almost shocked the reigning two-time SA Shield champions.

Entrusted with the No 10 jersey against Ulster in Round 12, Masuku kicked seven points to help the Hollywoodbets Sharks stop a five game-slump. Their 22-12 win against Ulster was their first league win since November 2023.

Since that victory, the Hollywoodbets Sharks have put together a four-game winning streak at home, with Masuku at the centre of the remarkable turnaround.

Masuku’s ability to thrive in the spotlight should come as no surprise, given how hard he has had to work to earn the opportunity.

Poached from North-West University as a youth player by the Emirates Lions, Masuku was a core part of a dominant under-20 and under-21 team during his time in Johannesburg, where he developed a range of attacking skills.

However, with the Emirates Lions enjoying a golden era under Johan Ackermann, opportunities at a senior level were limited.

Masuku would get a first taste of Vodacom URC rugby at the Southern Kings, but his term in the Eastern Cape was short lived and he found himself playing amateur rugby for club side Rustenberg Impala, where he won the 2019 National Inter Club Gold Cup, before taking up a six-month move to Spain.

Left with few options, Masuku was thrown a career lifeline by the Toyota Cheetahs in 2021. He wasted little time in repaying the faith placed in him, helping the Bloemfontein side progress to the EPCR Challenge Cup playoffs in the 2022-23 season and winning South Africa’s domestic Currie Cup title in 2023.

This success resulted in a dream move to the Hollywoodbets Sharks, which was something of a homecoming as he was raised in Paulpietersburg, a small town 370 kilometres north of Durban on the northern border of KwaZulu-Natal.

However, playing opportunities were scarce at first under incoming coach John Plumtree who opted to trust experienced players in his first few months back at the helm.

It wasn't until February that Masuku got the nod to make his debut, and he has more than made up for lost time, proving why Hollywoodbets Sharks fans were so excited about his move to the coast.

Man of the match in the EPCR Challenge Cup playoff wins against Zebre Parma, Edinburgh and Clermont - as well as the Vodacom URC win against Scarlets in Llanelli - Masuku is on a hot streak and currently sits on 86 points scored in nine appearances in all competitions.

From cross-kick try-assists to 50-metre penalties that bend like a David Beckham free-kick, Masuku has a bunch of tricks and is very comfortable attacking the gainline when needed.

"Siya's a lovely story ... he's played well on the big stage," John Plumtree told reporters after the comeback win over Clermont. The Sharks trailed 31-18 to win 32-31, thanks to Masuku's touchline conversion.

"I'm just really happy for him. He's a very humble character. He feels very honoured to be playing in this jersey and making the most of his opportunities. "He's still going to get better," Plumtree added.

"His skill set can improve, his passing can improve and he can improve as an athlete. He hasn't reached anywhere near his ceiling yet.

"He's a confident little player. His kicking is great. When he goes for touch, he doesn't just try for 30 metres, he looks for 40 metres.

"I love his attitude around the game and the players like him. He is riding the crest of the wave at the moment."

The Challenge Cup final aside, the Hollywoodbets Sharks have three successive home matches to complete their Vodacom URC league commitments. Victory in all three would extend the winning sequence to seven and that's a number that can be regarded as a streak and from the streak will come talk of the Shark Tank once again becoming a danger to visiting teams, and a Fortress to those wearing the Sharks jersey.

The magical Masuku will be primary to any such streak.

Starting with a clash against Benetton on Saturday afternoon, Masuku’s magic will be central to the Hollywoodbets Sharks ending their campaign on a high note.