He is beyond passionate, a stalker par excellence! He gets info, we can only dream of getting…and he has given us a wonderful platform to live out our passion…rugby..
I have had the pleasure of meeting Robbo a few years back, and has grown very fond of him, his friendship and true passion albeit VERY one eyed …we have had our (many) dissagreements too! I have posted some questions to Rob – and here we go!
Give us a little Bio of the real Rob:
I was born in Pretoria in 1977…. moved all over the country for a few years, eventually ending up in Dundee in KZN for most of the 80s. After a year in the UK, we moved back to Pretoria, where I attended Pretoria Boys High (the year ahead of John Smit, Darrel Eigner and Brian Liebenberg). I moved to Joburg in 2001, got married to the girl of my dreams in 2004 and moved to the UK in 2007. That’s about it, really! Oh – I also have two kids. A little girl of 5 and a boy who is 18 months old.
Name, nickname and where do you live?
Rob and I live in a little Kentish town called Sevenoaks, just South East of London
What do you do for a living?
I work as an Identity Management consultant. IT Security stuff.
Who do you support and why?
The Sharks, cos I grew up in Dundee in KZN. And my dad told me to!
What was your most memorable rugby moment (personally experienced or a team / player)
Being in the Cartoria box at Loftus, in my full Sharks gear, back in 1995. The Sharks came back from 36-15 down to draw the game, with 3 tries in the final 10 minutes. Thiery Lacroix and Cabous van der Westhuizen did the damage. Man, but those dutchies got very quiet, very fast! Other favourite was the 14-man Sharks beating the Bulls at Loftus in the 07 Currie Cup.
What is your Dream team (old and current players)?
for the Sharks: 1 Beast, 2 Smit, 3 Garvey, 4 Atherton, 5 Andrews, 6 Bartmann, 7 Deysel, 8 Teichmann, 9 Putt, 10 Honiball, 11 Cabous, 12 Barritt 13 Jacobs, 14 Pietersen, 15 Jouba
Which co-bloggers opinion do you value the Most? Why?
KSA Shark, Big Fish and Morne, for very different reasons
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made to watch a rugby match?
Four-hour roundtrip from Dullstroom to Pretoria and back to watch the Boks play the Wobblies. Won the tickets on Keo! I also missed seeing Tracy Chapman in concert because it clashed with the 96 Currie Cup final.
Who is your least liked player?
Frans Steyn, Kees Lensing, Drikus Hattingh, Adri Geldenhuys and Jaco van der Westhuyzen. In no particular order
Who are your favourite 3 players of all time and why?
Wahl Bartmann. An inspiration to me in everything he did. Gary Tecihmann. A triumphantly quiet man who took on the mantle of leader when required and wore it with dignity to the end. Andre Venter. He really got the concept of making sacrifices to be the best.
If you could have a blogger deleted, who would it be and why?
I can delete anyone I want to, Icey! So far, I’ve only ever banned one person.
If you could select a coach (past or present) to be with Your team – who would it be?
The Old Goat, Ian Mac
How did you end up on SW, wasting valuable company time?
I kinda started it… what do you mean “wasting”?!!!
Who is your favourite referee – current or old?
I really like Craig Joubert
Why Rugby ?
Because it’s a game that has a place for everyone
How do you react when your team loses?
I’m getting better. I used to get into a black mood for three days. Now I’ts down to two and a half days!
What is your most memorable rugby moment ever?
This is very similar to question 4? (Geez you are pedantic.. )
What is your favourite rugby ground?
ABSA Stadium, without a doubt. Awesome vibe and getting to hang around with the players afterwards is just a dream come true
If you could play – what position would suite you best and why?
Although I never played there, I like to think I’m a natural hooker
Do you have any pre-match routines (home or going to the game)?
Getting my kids to leave me alone so I can actually watch the game, is a routine in itself!
Who is your all-time favourite or best Captain? (locally or internationally) and why?
Wahl Bartmann. He would never expect any of his players to do anything or go anywhere that he wasn’t prepared to himself.
What is your take on woman rugby supporters? How do you feel about the female bloggers on SW?
I love every single one of them to bits! Girls add class and the reason that most other rugby blogs turn into a disgusting pub brawl is because they don’t have enough women to keep them well behaved. We treasure every single one of our SW girls and would always like to have more.
If your nic is not your real name – how did it originate?
It is based on my real name. Back in varsity I used to play the guitar and sing a lot, so some friends started calling me “Rob Dylan” and the name sort of stuck. Note, it does NOT mean that I am a big Bob Dylan fan
Thanks Robs – and here’s to many more millions of comments!!

Nice Province jersey there bro…
@Morné (Comment 1) : ah busted!
@Morné (Comment 1) :
He is on a “undercover” stalking mission – check the paper..bet you it has a hole in it!!
Wahl Bartmann? Doesn`t he have the record for most penalties conceded in a season . . . ever?
@Morné (Comment 1) :
How do you react when your team loses?
I’m getting better. I used to get into a black mood for three days. Now I’ts down to two and a half days!
Jeez Rob you are just about a double of one of my best friend in Newcastle….you okes look like twins and you both look like Michael Stipe
@Pink Ice (Comment 3) :
Who do you think sold those pictures of Andries Bekker to “die Bron”??
Rob you’re way to skinny to be a hooker.
@Original Pierre (Comment 4) : He was a damn good captain though. Everyone looked up to him and respected him.
@Pokkel (Comment 8) : I’m way too skinny to play rugby at all at the moment
nice one rob. and congrats on running a great site. its the first site i visit everytime i get on the internet. for some, i think its the only site…
@VanWilder (Comment 11) : he he… I like that, I really do!
@robdylan (Comment 12) : @VanWilder (Comment 11) : Me too
‘He is beyond passionate, a stalker par excellence! He gets info, we can only dream of getting…and he has given us a wonderful platform to live out our passion…rugby..’
Talk about ‘brown nosing’
Good to meet the man behind the evil moderator persona
@wpw (Comment 14) : and I am flippen good @ it! So, we!!!
@wpw (Comment 14) : she’s angling for points and I’m tempted to give her some, based on that
@wpw (Comment 14) : like your avatar…
is that kevin de klerk?
One thing I like about sharksworld is that there aren’t too many bloggers and that way you get to know the guys pretty well. I know it’s not good for hits but I like it that way…that doesn’t of course mean people aren’t welcome to join.
@VanWilder (Comment 18) : Nah Bru…that avatar freaks me out.
@Pokkel (Comment 19) : you’d be surprised how much traffic we get, though… for every one that comments, 10 other just read.
@robdylan (Comment 21) : Good to know….does this mean we need to start behaving better?
@robdylan (Comment 21) : damn, that gives us more readers than the rooi rose…
Nice little town Dundee , you will be pleased to know that they actually have a Spur and a Wimpy now . They also managed to produce a springbok centre / wing from the class of 92
@Pokkel (Comment 22) : behaving beshmaving…
The main man himself. You sir, are a scholar and a gentleman.
I don’t think we give you enough credit for creating this haven of good rugby chat and friendship.
There are many other rugby blogs, but none that exhibit the same levels of maturity, diversity, and fun.
Of all the things your Dad told you to do, and you ignored, THAT was the one you actually obeyed
Good old Andre Snyman.
Shhees, when it comes to brown nosing, I am still a student compared to BF!
True words spoken though!
@Greg (Comment 27) : It’s the obvious choice
Hey Magnum, don’t hate the playa – hate the game!
@VanWilder (Comment 11) : Ditto!
@robdylan (Comment 28) : Yip , was at school with him from st6 till matric . We had an awesome first team when we where in st 9 , even gave some of the big schools a hidding !!
@King Deysel (Comment 33) : did you know Barno Nel? He was a few years older… good mates with Andre’s brother
@robdylan (Comment 21) : and then some others get kicked off cos husbands comment soooo much
@King Deysel (Comment 24) : I was in Matric in Newcastle High in 1992 but luckily I only played for the 3rd team. I remember when we played Dundee High School that year because I was 3rd team scrumhalf but the 2nd team scrumhalf didn’t pitch and I had to play 2 full games that saturday. I remember our 1st team got hammered as well. I also knew Andre Snyman’s brother and you wouldn’t say that they were brothers because he was quite a short stocky oke.
@robdylan (Comment 34) : Cant recall the name but Andre’s boet was Naas , I think.
WHOOP !!! WHOOP !!! ROB’S THE MAN !!!
wise man that father of yours Rob
@King Deysel (Comment 37) : That’s right…I couldn’t remember either. Big farmers in the area. I used to work for NLK (natalse landbou Kooperasie) and knew most of the farmers in the area well.
@Pokkel (Comment 36) : Yip , and Andre was nothing of the sort ! Used to cane every one in the 100m and 200m , that oke was lethal. He was also a great way of getting out of doing any work on Fri in our geography class cause the coach was our geography teacher so we would get Snyman to start discussing the weekend games and that was it , the chicks had to study while the guys spoke rugby ! Best way to waist your last lesson on a Friday afternoon !!
@King Deysel (Comment 41) : Do you still stay in the Dundee area?
@King Deysel (Comment 41) : awesome man!
So nice to meet Dundee people! I’m amazed at how many there are.
@Pokkel (Comment 40) : Used to farm in Danhauser area I think. Good old NLK , so you will know the likes of Thys botha , frik freuken , Crafcor etc. ??
@Pokkel (Comment 42) : Nah , moved down to the big city of Durbs . Now I get to watch every game I want . Best part is that it is classed as work !!
@robdylan (Comment 43) : Good people , we had some great times up there , best part of a small town is that there are only a few jols so every one usually ends up at the same place !
@King Deysel (Comment 44) : I know them. Frik Freuken is still selling centre pivots but not with NLK anymore. I left NLK in 1999 and started my own business and took most of the NLK clients with me.
@Pokkel (Comment 47) : en dan se jy dit nog hardop ook!!?? Jou onetiese wurm!
@Pink Ice (Comment 48) : Hulle het my kak behandel…anycase hulle bestaan nie meer nie en ek is nog hier.
@Pokkel (Comment 47) : Yip , but he farms more than he sells these days ! So what line are you in ?
@King Deysel (Comment 45) : how did you pull that off?
@King Deysel (Comment 50) : I’m a financial planner and I also do short term insurance for farmers. I used to do short term and crop insurance for NLK.
I like your Sharks team but even though he hasn’t spent much time at 12 I’d pick Lambie there ahead of Barritt. Frans Steyn would probably have been my first choice but I did read the rest of the interview.
@robdylan (Comment 21) : yes,i read the posts regularly for bout 6 months before i signed up.would be nice if straueli ,plum and co would sign up …
@bergshark (Comment 54) : perhaps they could even post the odd article…
@robdylan (Comment 51) : We supply materials to the construction industry and that is how we market / entertain , cool hey ?
@bergshark (Comment 55) :
but seriously now,do they read what is written here?any info on that ,@robdylan?
@vanmartin (Comment 53) : frans steyn is a legend at the sharks [email protected]: why don`t you like frans steyn?
@robdylan: great coach ,ian mac
@Pokkel (Comment 52) :
Geen wonder jy kan jou vrou ‘toegooi’ met paintings wat 8K kos!!
@wpw (Comment 61) : Hierdie maand moet ek by haar geld leen
@Pokkel (Comment 62) : jyt n nice vrou wat aan die einde van `n maand nog geld het om vir haar man te leen…
Hello Rob
@Morné (Comment 1) : @robdylan (Comment 2) :
very very fishy indeed… perhaps this entire site is one big conspiracy by western province supporters – that’s why so many of them – big brothers
@wpw (Comment 61) : wpw you seem to have lost a lot of weight quite drastically – care to share this diet
@rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 64) : @rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 66) :
You are fricken hillarious!
@rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 66) :
@rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 66) : the smaller version of ashley johnson…
HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How did I miss this thread?????????/
@KSA Pink Shark © (Comment 70) : because u ignore MY stuff??