Who is Joseph Dweba: Ten things you should know about the hooker 

South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber has said that Joseph Dweba may have made his Test debut in 2020 if not for the cancellation of the team’s fixtures due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Instead the Bordeaux-Bègles hooker got his first taste of senior rugby in the green and gold when selected in the South Africa A team to face the British & Irish Lions 2021 squad.

Ten things you should know about Joseph Dweba 

1. Joseph Dweba was born on 25 October 1995.

2. Dweba and his siblings grew up in an informal settlement in Carletonville, south-west of Johannesburg.

Rugby provided him with a chance to escape a life of poverty, although he would bounce between four different high schools before receiving his big break.

3. A multi-talented player, even in his younger days, Dweba played centre, flanker and No 8 before settling in the front row.

4. Dweba played for the Golden Lions throughout his junior career, representing his province at the national U16 and U18 tournaments.

5. Dweba was selected for the South African Schools team in 2013 and the Junior Springboks in 2014 and 2015.

He represented the latter side at the 2014 Junior World Championship in New Zealand, and featured prominently in the big win over the Baby Blacks.

The South African U20 side went on to lose the subsequent final against England, who boasted none other than Maro Itoje in their ranks.,

6. Dweba moved to Bloemfontein in his late teens to take up a contract with Free State Cheetahs. He made his Currie Cup and Super Rugby debuts for the franchise in 2016.

7. The Cheetahs blew hot and cold after joining the Pro14 in late 2017. Dweba, a powerful ball-carrier and breakdown exponent, was one of the few players who delivered in the northern hemisphere on a consistent basis.

8. In 2019, Dweba started for the Free State side that beat the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup final.

The hooker scored a try in the 31-28 victory. He was later named Currie Cup Player of the Year.

9. The Cheetahs coaches never viewed Dweba as their first-choice hooker, though, and the player himself would later complain about a lack of game time.

In 2020, he decided to pursue an opportunity with Bordeaux-Bègles in France.

10. Dweba believes that the move to Europe has improved his set-piece and breakdown skill-set.

The club itself is on the rise. Bordeaux-Bègles featured in the semi-finals of the 2021 European Champions Cup and Top 14 tournaments.

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