Sharks lock Johan Snyman has left Durban and will be available for the Lions this Currie Cup season.
Joe Snyman was one of four young Sharks to represent the South African Under 19 team in the inaugural IRB Youth World Cup, back in 2005. Alistair Hargreaves captained the team that won the trophy that year, in Durban. JC Strauss and Frans Steyn were also in the side.
Snyman went on to make a single appearance for the Sharks in the 2006 Currie Cup, but has battled to force his way into the senior team ever since. A season spent playing with the Hawke’s Bay Magpies in 2008 led to an offer to join the Highlanders for this year’s Super 14 – however, Snyman was still contracted to the Sharks at the time and had to make do representing the Sharks XV in the Vodacom Cup. He was called up to the Super 14 squad as a replacement for Hargreaves on tour, but never managed to get onto the park.
Snyman has been named on the Lions bench for their friendly this evening. His loss may just be felt this Currie Cup, particularly with Hargreaves still injured and both Johann Muller and now Steven Sykes called up to the Bok squad. Young Jandre Marais, fresh from a stint with the Under 20 Boks, will start in the number 4 jersey that may well have gone to Snyman had he not left.
Best of luck, Joe!

He never really set the scene alight did he?
Just a question, that 2005 SA U19 side did not have Frans if I recall correctly, wasn’t it Nikolai Blignaut?
Frans captained the SA U 19s the year he made his debut for the sharks.
@Baldrick (Comment 1) : hmmm – possible I have it wrong. Let me go check
RESULTS
Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue
17 April 2005 South Africa 20 – 15 New Zealand The Absa Stadium (Kings Park)
13 April 2005 South Africa 17 – 12 England Woodburn Stadium
9 April 2005 South Africa 15 – 9 France The Absa Stadium (Kings Park)
5 April 2005 South Africa 32 – 7 Ireland Woodburn Stadium
1 April 2005 South Africa 62 – 18 Argentina The Absa Stadium (Kings Park)
SQUAD PROFILES
April, Randall Jacques Croy, Ricardo
de Kock, Zander Van Zyl Fourie, Deon Andre
Frolick, Shandrè Gqobo, Andisa
Hargreaves, Alistair John Janse van Rensburg, Jacobus Christo (Lions)
Lewis, Marlon Shaun Lobberts, Hilton
Malgas, Amselm Warren Dimifri Mhlobiso, Luvuyo
Myburgh, Pieter Abraham Ralepelle, Mahlatse Chiliboy
Rose, Jody Gavin Snyman, Johan (Joe)
Steyn, Francois Philippus Lodewyk Strauss, Conrad Richardt
Strauss, Johan Swanepoel, Jacobus Cornelius
Uys, Francois (FS) van Niekerk, Hendrik Johannes
van Wyk, Jowayne Shadwill Vermeulen, Petrus Johannes (PJ) (WP)
Volschenk, Jan Frederik Williams, Jerome Razaak
@Baldrick (Comment 1) : what I hadn’t realised was the Hargo was also in the team in 2004… Blignaut was in that side.
FPL Steyn played in both ’05 and ’06… what I didn’t realise was that he was still with Free State in ’05. Hell, he was probably still at school then.
OK, I got mixed up with the previous year – 2004. My mistake!
Pieter Abraham Ralepelle, – a real new South Africa,
@Salmonoid (Comment 6) :
South Africa = South African.
@Salmonoid (Comment 7) : formatting thing!
a good friend of mine from res, francois uys was in that team, also had the opportunity to watch one of their games live at the tank that year, great occasion
@robdylan (Comment 8) :
Thought so, but then remembered that he is from Pretoria in which case it figuered.
@war1 (Comment 9) :
Always is!!
if my memory serves, we also watched a game in maritzburg that year, was nice to have a holiday in durbs that year, i think i need to make a plan for next year, coincide a holiday with super14 home games
@war1 (Comment 9) : is this the Francois Uys that’s now playing for the Cheetahs?
@robdylan (Comment 13) : the same one, he lived next door to me in my first year, really cool guy, and pretty huge as well, we sometimes called him superman
But he had another nickname that only ppl who know him will know . . .
@war1 (Comment 14) : nice one… is he in your Fantasy League team?
@robdylan (Comment 16) : he is not, but only coz i dont think he will get much game time, but if he does get some game time, i will definitely consider it
@war1 (Comment 17) : it’s tough to pick a squad now… I see a lot of people have gone for Bobo! He’s left already
@robdylan (Comment 18) : yeah, its difficult coz we have little idea of who is in the squads and who will play more regularly, so much uncertainty
@war1 (Comment 19) : indeed… wiiiide open
@robdylan (Comment 18) : and all the Bok call ups makes it worse. I hope the servers will hold up coz alot of people will probably be making final changes
@JarsonX (Comment 21) : he he… we’ll make a plan
Chris Boyd is taking leave from the Sharks, seems he will only/maybe be back next year
Frikkie Welsh signed for WP, is he that old allready??
@JarsonX (Comment 23) : leave? I thought he’d gone for good
@robdylan (Comment 25) : sharksrugby.co.za
@JarsonX (Comment 26) : ah yes… that old thing
@JarsonX (Comment 23) : ok – I misread your post. So he is gone, but has left the door slightly open to maybe return for the Super 14 next year. I thought you were saying he’s just on leave…
@robdylan (Comment 27) : old? Its news to me
@JarsonX (Comment 29) :
You gotta stay awake, mate!
@robdylan (Comment 27) :
That “old thing” as you put it constantly has over 100 online visitors, and there is not even any blogging going on there anymore. Ant idea how thats done? Those Sharks bloggers were obviously a loyal lot.
@Salmonoid (Comment 31) : it’s all about fresh content. The Sharks are big news – a hugely successful marketing concept.
For every 1 person that leaves a comment here, we probably have at least 10 others who simply read the articles.
@robdylan (Comment 32) :
So why dont they comment, shy, scared of trytime, lurkers, too much Provine influence, too politically correct? A recipe to get them to comment must be found.
@Salmonoid (Comment 33) : Free stuff.
@Salmonoid (Comment 33) : I’m not sure really… I mean, there are people who want to comment and discuss stuff – and others who don’t.
Some blog sites are really all about community. The articles themselves are essentially irrelevant to the discussions that happen “below the line”. I felt that the blog on the Sharks website was like that to an extent…. people would yell “new blog” whenever an article was posted (note, not “new article”) and would simply carry on the same thread of conversation in a different place.
Other sites are primarily news focused, with little or no commenting going on at all… in some cases, it’s not a bad thing at all – if you look at the sorts of comments that tend to crop up on Rugby365, for example, you’ll see what I mean.
We have a reasonable balance here – we’re a small site, but our traffic is quite good and we do have a faithful core of commentators who we can count on to be here almost every day.
@Salmonoid (Comment 33) : then there is keo, where they intentionally write inflammatory articles to generate as much traffic and as many contents as possible. It works great for them because gutter journalism sells.
@robdylan (Comment 35) : Yeh you owe me big time…
@klempie (Comment 37) : this site certainly wouldn’t be a success if it wasn’t for our loyal supporters
@robdylan (Comment 35) :
Its interesting what makes a blogger comment. I have a friend, who I know visits this site, among others, he has an opinion about absolutely everything but I dont think he has ever commented here or anywhere else for that matter.
@Salmonoid (Comment 39) : I think it’s often just a case of needing to dip your toe into the water. Provided it doesn’t get bitten off instantly, it can very quickly become addictive.
@robdylan (Comment 40) : agree, believe it or not, i reached this site through keo, and i think ive posted 2 or 3 comments there. But Sharksworld is almost a chatroom and although its rugby orientated, i feel that i can say or ask whatever i feel like without being repremanded or scolded and its almost like a family here with most bloggers posting on a regular basis. Well done and thank u comrades.
@JarsonX (Comment 41) : how did you find your way here from keo?
@robdylan (Comment 42) : dont remember exactly, i think someone posted a link or something. I just remember registering there and then within a day or 2 i was here
@JarsonX (Comment 43) : it was probably me
Or maybe Wes.
Hmmm, according to the SA Rugby web site, there is still no score in the Sharks-Pumas game after nearly an hour
Lions beat the Griffons 54-7
Just found sharks score pumas 35 – sharks 44, that makes me worry!!
@war1 (Comment 46) :
No need to worry, the stats tell a better story.
Final Score – Pumas 35 – 44 Sharks
Tries – Pumas 2 – 5 Sharks
Seems the Pumas tried to stay in the game with the boot. They scored 25 of their 35 points with the boot (71%).
@war1 (Comment 46) : go read the match report lite I just put up. 5 tries to 2
@robdylan (Comment 38) : hehehehehehe
You’re too kind.
@JarsonX (Comment 41) :
i feel that i can say or ask whatever i feel like without being repremanded or scolded
@KSA Shark © (Comment 47) : Doesn’t say much for our discipline does it??
@klempie (Comment 50) : its true…. mostly….
I probably don’t write all that often, due to the time difference, however I was relieved when this site opened. It was rather sad when we couldn’t write on the Sharks Web site. It was almost like a family, I followed the exploits of the American Girl ( forgotten her name). I probably like many others only write on this site, however I visit KEO etc.
@Dynamite (Comment 53) :
I think you are refering to Millisa.
I havent seen her name for a long time. I hope all’s well with her and that if she reads this knows that we still think of her.