Time to stop under-achieving, says Van der Walt
THE Sharks’ new chief executive, Gary Teichmann, would be one of the first to approve of the classic playing style of one of his successors in the blackand-white No 8 jersey, Philip van der Walt.
Teichmann captained the Sharks and the Springboks with distinction, and is no doubt impressed that the Sharks once again have a traditional No 8.
Like Teichmann, Van der Walt is now a qualified businessman, having finished his degree in finance by the age of 24 after six years at the University of the Free State.
Teichmann, a director of Teichmann Civils, could show Van der Walt the way on and off the field.
However you look at it, Van der Walt, 27, is sorted for a career post-rugby, but for now his focus is on excelling for the Sharks and possibly the Springboks.
“Right now, it is about trying to help this Sharks team win the Currie Cup,” the red-head said in exceptional English. Van der Walt is from Port Elizabeth, where he went to school at the unfashionable Adelaide High School, although he did play Craven week for EP.
After accelerating through the ranks of the Cheetahs’ age-group teams, Van der Walt had a season with French club Biarritz before accepting an approach from the Sharks to return to South Africa.
“Winning this Currie Cup is hugely important to all of us after a couple of seasons of under-achievement at the Sharks,” Van der Walt said. “The dynamics of the team, and indeed of the competition, can change quite quickly and I think we will find this season that the Currie Cup will be the most open it has been for years.
“I do not think there will be just one or two teams dominating this year – it will be a handful of teams neck and neck, and it will come down to the side that gels sooner rather than later, and gets ahead on the points table and stays there,” he said.
Van der Walt said there would be no room for error in this year’s Currie Cup.
“There are just eight weeks of full-out competition, and that means teams have to sink or swim. You have to treat every team with respect and build points on the log.
“We laid a foundation last week with a very good win over the Pumas in Nelspruit,” he said. “We play the Griquas on Friday night at Kings Park, and I know a number of their players from my time with the Cheetahs. They will get stuck in, and we have to make sure we put their fire out early in the game.”