Leighton Koopman
Joseph Dweba has his sights set on getting a recall to the Springbok setup after missing out on a Rugby World Cup opportunity with the reigning champions last season.
Although he was part of the Boks before the tournament, during the 2023 triumph, the Bok coaches decided to call up veteran flyhalf Handre Pollard when hooker Malcolm Marx was injured, opting not to replace the man in the middle of the scrum with a like-for-like replacement.
It was a masterstroke by the South African mentors as Pollard kicked them to another World Cup final win, and while it might've been a tad bit of a disappointment for Dweba, he hasn’t let it affect him.
The 28-year-old knows that if he is to make it back into the Bok setup this season, the hard work will start at the Stormers, and he has been delivering for the Cape side with some powerful performances.
That earned him a call-up to the past Springbok virtual online session after he missed out on the first alignment camp of the national team early this year.
“As a player, you always strive to play for the Boks. I will always push for that,” Dweba said.
“But it starts at your union. I need to perform here, I need to make sure that I hit my targets around the park and just continue working here first. As that goes well, there will be potential to get into the Boks. So I am happy with that.”
According to Dweba, upping his play around the park and increasing his “battle stats”, as the Boks call it, are things that could get him closer to a spot in the matchday squad looking towards the international season.
But for now, he is solely focused on what he needs to do at the Stormers to help the team as they prepare to take on the Dragons on Friday (kick-off 8.35pm) at Rodney Parade and consolidate their place amongst the top eight sides in the URC.
The Stormers need a win to remain in the hunt for a knockout spot, and Dweba’s lineouts and scrummaging will be key against the Welsh club. He’s come under heavy scrutiny and criticism before, especially over his line-out throwing, but has improved in leaps and bounds since joining the Cape side.
And he is just focused on improving more under forwards coach Rito Hlungwani and former Bok hooker Hanyani Shimange.
“As a front-rower and hooker, you get judged on your set pieces. But I don’t focus on the criticism coming my way. It all depends on how you look at it; it could be good or bad. My focus is on my game, I can’t control what people say about me. I have to deliver and keep fighting for the team.
“I am fortunate to have these experienced guys and youngsters that help me. Players like World Cup winner Frans Malherbe, Brok Harris, Neethling Fouche, Sti Sithole who came from the Lions, and Lizo Gqoboka. I’ve rubbed shoulders with Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx, who have won two World Cups. How they took scrummaging seriously, drilled something in me that I can also do.
“We are all working hard as front-rowers and just giving our input on our experiences on a certain day. I am not yet in a play-off mindset but focused only on the next match, which is the Dragons. We will take this game for game.”