Ethan Hooker might throw his body into brutal, high-stakes rugby matches for a living, but off the pitch, the young Springbok utility-back prefers a remarkably chill rhythm: chasing a lower golf handicap, binging classic TV series, and unironically blasting 2010s pop anthems.
Hooker will be the first to tell you that rugby is his passion, but when not training or playing he can be found chasing the thrill of a good drive, an even lie, a nifty approach and the satisfaction of sinking a clutch putt.
“I think my index is a five or a 4.9, somewhere there,” Hooker revealed, regarding his handicap.
“If there's a day off, I'm at the golf course, but I've started to get into TV series and stuff because I hear so much hype and how the guys really enjoy it. So, I’ve started to watch a bit more shows. But if there's an afternoon off, I'm on the golf course.”
Hooker admitted that, when it comes to watching the telly, his education in pop culture has only just begun.
“I just finished Game of Thrones,” he revealed, referring to the high-fantasy series that aired from 2011 to 2019, “and at the moment, it's Mr. Robot — I just started that.”
When it comes to music, Hooker revealed an eclectic taste: “Throwbacks to the 2010s. I like to call it 'white girl music' — those kinds of vibes. Those are my jams.”
Although Hooker revealed that current Sharks coach and former Springbok wing JP Pietersen was his mentor, the 23-year-old explained an admiration for a former All Black great while growing up in Durban.
“I loved Sonny Bill (Williams),” Hooker said. “He was my go-to, hey.
“I don't do too many offloads, but he just stuck out to me. I loved him. His physicality, his offloads, just like the sort of aura that he had about him as well.”
Hooker had played 10 Tests for the Springboks before Saturday's game, scoring two tries. He made his international debut in 2025 against Italy, coming onto the field as a substitute during that game. He had a similar experience for his second Test, this time taking to the field against New Zealand at Eden Park.
A week later, he was selected for the first time in the starting XV, also against the All Blacks, in the Boks’ famous 43-10 victory in Wellington. Unsurprisingly, that match remains the highlight of his fledgling international career. The recent 15-10 victory against Argentina also ranks highly.
“Definitely that Wellington game,” he said, while looking back at his best experiences so far in the Green and Gold.
“Now, I would actually say that Argentina game, too. The ball-in-play was so high, it definitely goes down as one of the toughest games I have played. My favourite game, though, would definitely be Wellington.”
The encounter against the Pumas is especially revealing, as it speaks to Hooker’s favourite aspect of the game — a notion comparable to completing a challenge task to the best of one’s abilities by giving 100% from start to finish.
“It's going to sound weird — and at the time, I think it's the worst possible thing — but it is when everyone's tired and the game's on the line, like against Argentina in the last two minutes … Everyone's exhausted, and you're just throwing your body around.
“At the time, I thought it's the worst possible thing, but looking back at it, I sort of love that. I get a kick that everyone is sort of on that same level of just being tired, and you just got to see who lasts, who can fight harder and fight longer,” he concluded.