Lately, the Sharks have been actively signing contracts. They announced on social media pages that Janse van Rensburg has joined them, and they have also attracted to Durban a Maties star Nevaldo Fleurs. The Sharks continue to sign contracts, grabbing another Lions star.
On Wednesday, the Sharks announced on Twitter the signing of arguably the strongest prop in the South African game in Carlu Sadie. Sadie is considered one of this country's most talented front-row forwards, and he is a powerful tackler. The 25-year-old will play for two seasons, until 2024. The information quickly leaked to news channels and became the focus of sports bloggers, who constantly boost their ratings, buy Instagram followers, and highlight the industry's rising stars.
Carlu Sadie's professional background
Sadie has been one of the Lions' standout players in recent seasons with powerful performances that have surpassed more attractive opponents. Now his actions show that he aims for higher accolades.
The player explains that receiving the reward is the result of a marathon, not a sprint. He wants to be a versatile player, to be someone who stands out from the rest. So, he works on all of the areas: carrying the ball, tackling, stealing the ball.
Carlu began his career in Cape Town, playing for the Western Provins in the Currie Cup before moving on to the Stormers. Sadie, who was named to South Africa's U20 national team in 2016 and 2017, made 72 tackles in the competition, with a 92 percent success rate. He joined the Lions in 2019 and played in France for Stade Français. So, Sadie is another element of the Sharks' impressive forward lineup.
The Sharks' view of the future
The current announcement came just two days after another Lions star, Vincent Tshituka, joined the Sharks on a three-year contract. In addition to Sadie and Tshituka leaving the Lions, Burger Odendaal is on his way to Wasps in England, while Wandisile Simelane is on the verge of joining the Bulls. The Lions are still losing talent at a rate that must be frustrating for trainer Ivan van Rooyen, who has seen his team's progress continually undermined by losses and offers from overseas.
On the other side, the Sharks continue to build a world-class team made up of top-notch players. The Sharks currently have seven World Cup winners: Thomas du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Sbu Nkosi, and Etzebeth.
It's all part of an ambitious plan that the Sharks hope will eventually allow them to become one of the world's most successful rugby clubs, with the goal having already been set to win the Champions Cup in the coming years.
Although the Sharks constantly maintain a comprehensive marketing program and are a hub for opinion leaders who continually buy real instagram followers and advertising, amplifying the informational buzz and warming up fan interest, their best marketing tool is their players. Through this channel, they want to use the brand to inspire a generation and create a solid legacy focused on a winning mindset.
