There wasn’t the plethora of free supplements or state-of-the-art training facilities available to him either which is so much part of the elite school rugby player’s environment. If Mvovo was going to ever succeed he was going to have to do it through being disciplined and by having a complete dedication to the sport. “Discipline and focus is very important to me, plus I’m goal-driven and I love this game of rugby. It is God’s will for my life,” explains Mvovo.
Yet he still needed to be noticed and the chances of a rugby scout trekking into Umtata to seek out a non traditional rugby school was improbable if not impossible and he quickly realised that he needed to be more than just a good rugby player to be noticed.
Appreciating the power of the pen Lwazi Mvovo sent a letter to The Sharks Academy. “I sent an application form to The Sharks Academy back in 2005 and I was accepted. I prayed and thanked God for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dreams of one day playing for The Sharks,” he says.
From that moment onwards Mvovo would eclipse even his own dreams as he progressed rapidly through the ranks until he was finally fighting for a legitimate place in the senior Sharks team. It finally came in July 2009 when he made his debut for The Sharks against Boland. “It went well that first game, but I was very nervous before the game. I just didn’t want to do anything wrong on the day,” say Lwazi.
In a way it is apt that the Xhosa name “Lwazi” is translated “knowledge” in English because the speedster displays an in-depth reading of the game which often sees him looking for work on all parts of the field. To date I cannot recall a single penalty that he has given away either or a time when he has been caught out of position. The maturity and wisdom he possesses of the sport belies his relative inexperience.
Other noteworthy appearances soon followed after his debut and who can forget how a relatively unknown Lwazi Mvovo ran down and tackled Brian O’Driscoll when the British Lion’s centre had been given a 30 metre head start! Suddenly every Sharks fan wanted to see that astonishing pace again and again and he has not let them down. With every match he has managed to produce some memorable moments including 12 breath-taking tries in the Currie Cup, not to talk about his relentless tackling and ability to run down the opposition.
A mere 18 caps for The Sharks and the 24 year old Lwazi Mvovo stands on the threshold of greatness as he prepares to make his debut for the World Champion Springboks. His selection to the starting fifteen was not met with a single negative comment but with a universal nod of approval. He is going to take his place as the best left winger in South Africa, not because of favouritism not because of privilege, but simply because he is the best in the country. And who wouldn’t bet on Lwazi crossing the whitewash at least once?
