Hooker Bradley Roberts acknowledges it will be a special moment when he returns home to face the Hollywoodbets Sharks in the BKT United Rugby Championship this Saturday (kick-off 5.05pm).
Wales international Roberts was born in Durban and is even a former Sharks age-grade player before his rugby path led him overseas.
The 27-year-old makes his Kings Park return this weekend – he used to run out as an Under-19 player – eager to help Dragons back up the derby victory over Ospreys against a power-packed Sharks outfit.
And ahead of the game, he has reflected on how his career was formed by his early years in Durban.
“I played Under-18s for Sharks in the top school’s competition and then went to RGC for five or six months because nothing was on the table for me in South Africa,” he revealed.
“Then, when I came back on holiday, I knew a couple of guys in the Sharks Under-19 squad for the Currie Cup.
“I managed to train with the squad for the last month before the Currie Cup, then when they shortened the squad, I made it and when it came to competition, they picked me to start.
“I wasn't really expecting it, I thought it was just going to be a short stint before I went back to Wales.
“It never worked out eventually. But it was a good taste of being in a professional environment and living like a professional rugby player.
“It's a telling moment in my career,” he added. “I've always been kind of an underdog, as I'm on the smaller side. But in my eyes, I always knew that I just needed one coach to look at me and know that size doesn't really matter.
“Look past the size and we see what else I offer. I got the opportunity to do that at Ulster, they fully backed me, and that paid off when I got called up by Wales.
“When I was in the Sharks Under-19 team the Sharks front row was Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis and the Beast (Tendai Mtawarira). Those were the guys they were looking at.
“You look at me, I'm not anywhere close to those guys. They were looking for the next Bismarck and I was clearly not the next Bismarck. But all things happen for a reason, and it took me on a different path.”
Roberts will certainly have plenty of support from the stands this weekend and jokes that he can even see his mum’s flat from his hotel room.
And he speaks passionately about how it was the Sharks that made him fall in love with the game a youngster.
“Growing up in Durban I was a big Sharks supporter,” he smiled.
“We were called the scholars, and we were always having a braai outside the field, me and my mates, and playing rugby. I’ve very fond memories of watching the Sharks play when I was younger.
“I did love Bismarck du Plessis. He was my hero and the enforcer. He was just the man back then.
“I also liked Ryan Kankowski and Keegan Daniel, I looked up to all of them and they were heroes when I was a youngster.
“I actually don’t think they have enough (comp) tickets for me,” he added.
“All my friends and family are going to be there. A lot of them haven't seen me play in person as a professional yet.”
While he had an affinity for Sharks as a youngster, there is no ambiguity about where his passion lies now.
Roberts is enjoying his time with the Men of Gwent more than ever and is keen for the team to build on the Ospreys performance this weekend.
“I’m loving the Dragons. I feel like they've backed me a lot, which is what you want as a player, you want your coach to trust you and I feel like Dai does,” he said.
“We have a good relationship, and he does trust what I have to offer.
“I had a bit of a slip off at the end of last season where I was maybe burnt out from a lot of rugby and not a lot of time off.
“My performances went off a bit, but this season I'm focused on consistency week in and week out, it doesn't matter if it's the beginning of the season or the end. I'm going to look to perform every game.
“As a pack had a good start to the season. Besides the first game, when we got a few unlucky penalties, we’ve been clean and solid and borderline dominant in some games,” he added.
“We had a bit of a blip against Leinster, but last week we went out with a real point to prove.
“It’s been good to get back to our processes and what we know is good works for us. Ultimately, we won the game so that was awesome.”
Dragons will face a Sharks team boosted by the return of several Springbok stars.
Head coach John Plumtree has welcomed back lock Eben Etzebeth, scrum half Jaden Hendrikse and wing Makazole Mapimpi into the starting line-up alongside Lukhanyo Am who takes on the captaincy duties. International team-mates Ox Nche and Grant Williams add firepower off the bench.
“We love testing ourselves. We want to play teams at their full strength because it challenges us to be at our best,” inisisted Roberts.
“It will give us a good gauge because these guys are back from winning the World Cup. Sharks are loaded with quality, but we just need to do what we know works for us.
“Sharks have had a tough time, but they've got a good squad so we're not underestimating what they have to offer.
“It's always a good challenge facing the South African teams. I don't think they've quite clicked yet, but when they do, they'll be good.
“They're under pressure for performances from everyone here in South Africa.
“We have to prepare the way we normally would and we're looking to win.”
We were always having a braai outside the field, me and my mates, and playing rugby... I’ve very fond memories of watching the Sharks play when I was younger.
