Stephen Nell

Cape Town – The Sharks have added insult to the injury of inflicting Western Province’s first Currie Cup loss by signing gifted utility back Conrad Hoffmann.

Hoffmann’s World Artists agent, Anthony Johnson, confirmed to Sport24 on Wednesday that the player will move to Durban after the Currie Cup.

“Conrad will play for the Sharks for the next two seasons. The reason for his decision is to get more game time in his preferred position of scrumhalf,” said Johnson.

“Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Blue Bulls flyhalf) is also going to the Sharks and they will form a good halfback pairing.”

Hoffmann will do duty on WP’s substitutes bench at Newlands again on Friday evening for the match against Free State.

Dewaldt Duvenage is the regular scrumhalf and the team’s vice-captain, so Hoffmann is on the bench in a utility capacity.

Province are keen to get back on the winning track quickly after losing in Durban.

“The guys are feeling the pain of the defeat and have something to prove. We took last week personally, so are looking forward to an improvement,” said WP lock Adriaan Fondse.

Fondse and lock partner Anton van Zyl succeeded in disrupting Free State’s lineout in WP’s first Currie Cup match and did not concede a single throw.

“We try to dominate the lineouts every week, but both sides have come up with new plans,” said Fondse.

“They have good jumpers, but I will be happy if things can go as well as they did last time.”

Fondse is knocking on the door of the Springbok squad, but untimely injuries have taught him to focus on the immediate goal.

“The Boks will always be the main goal, but I have been injured a lot,” he said.

“I just want to stay fit and play as well as possible. If the Boks become a reality for me then that’s great, but that’s not where my focus is now.”

Fondse is happy that there is an upward curve in his form and that he is making a significant contribution at the lineouts.