DURBAN - Sharks youngster Dylan Richardson is fast finding the Currie Cup world at his feet after a series of compelling performances, including a man-of-the-match showing in his team’s pulsating victory against the Blue Bulls over the weekend.
It was only a few weeks ago that his coach, Sean Everitt, said the 21-year-old’s future was “probably at hooker” but now he is setting the Currie Cup on fire at openside flank.
Richardson is equally at home in the two positions, and when rugby resumed after the national lockdown he found himself starting at hooker in Super Rugby Unlocked because of a chest injury suffered by regular hooker Kerron van Vuuren when training resumed.
Apart from a few (to be expected) wayward lineout throws against the Bulls, he was the Sharks’ stand-out performer in the 41-14 defeat at Loftus in October, prompting Everitt to say he had a big future in the position.
The thing is ... he has just as big a future as a loose forward, which is why the coach picked him for the big game against the Bulls even though he had all of his loose forwards back from both injury and Covid-19 isolation.
Everitt had no hesitation in picking the youngster, and he delivered handsomely — he and Arno Botha of the Bulls made the most tackle and carries in the game, (20). Late in the game, with the Sharks behind and fighting for their lives, it was the stocky Richardson who repeatedly threw himself over the advantage line in a series of carries that helped give his team the momentum to salvage the game.
Everitt has long rated Richardson, having watched him when he was a schoolboy at Kearsney College (he played SA Schools in 2017) and then he coached him in the victorious Sharks Under-19 team that won their division with ease (that team also boasted current Sharks in Phepsi Buthelezi, Sanele Nohamba, Celimpilo Gumede, Jaden Hendrikse and Boeta Chamberlain).
Richardson was also member of the SA Under-20 team that won bronze at the World Championship in Argentina last year.
The powerfully-built Richardson is very strong over the ball, and his ability to win turnovers at the breakdown is priceless to the counter-attacking brand of rugby the Sharks love to play.
The Durban-based team began this year with James Venter as the first-choice opensider, and the latter will know that he has a massive challenge in reclaiming the No 6 jersey.
Everitt has meanwhile given an update on the fitness of tighthead prop Thomas du Toit, who went off injured against the Bulls on Saturday. Du Toit had only recently returned from a calf injury.
“Thomas has a bit of a rib cartilage injury and is in doubt for the Lions this week,” Everitt said. “But one must commend Michael Kumbirai when he came on for Thomas. His work rate was outstanding and I thought the scrum went well on his side.
“Nobody wants to lose their Springbok tighthead at this stage of the competition. We are going into some very hard games in a row now. That is a massive challenge for us. Hopefully, Thomas’ injury is not too serious.”