Hakeem Kunene

Operating in the Sharks' back three, Hakeem Kunene is an outside back who blends power with pace in the United Rugby Championship. Born in February 2003, the South African is suited to the wing, where his combination of strength and acceleration makes him a direct threat in attack and a physical presence in defence. The modern outside back is asked to do far more than finish tries, and Kunene's role takes in the aerial contest, the kick-chase and the cover defence that underpin a side's back-field security. As a younger member of the squad, he is at the stage of refining those facets while bringing genuine carrying ability and solidity under the high ball. South African rugby places a premium on physicality even among its backs, and Kunene's game reflects that, marking him as a robust option in the back three as he looks to establish himself within a demanding Sharks set-up.