Former Grey boy and NFL hopeful Ekeji to make Sharks debut
Former Grey College star and National Football League (NFL) hopeful Paschal Ekeji will make his Sharks debut in their round four Currie Cup match against Griquas in Kimberley on Friday afternoon (3pm).
Another player who'll be in action for the team from Durban and who'll have many watching him is Junior Springboks U20 flank star Bathobele Hlekani.
The Sharks are hunting a first win in this year's competition after so far going down to the Lions, Bulls and Cheetahs.
Hlekani, who will join the Lions at the end of the season, was one of the big stars of the Junior Boks team that won the recent World Championship in Italy. He will run out at flank after featuring for the same Sharks XV last year, but at lock.
Bathobele Hlekani will turn out for the Sharks this weekend. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
Winger Ekeji (1.93m and 94kg) was set to be a big star for the Grey College team in 2020 but Covid ended those dreams before he opted to study agriculture at Stellenbosch University. He played Varsity Cup rugby and also ran out for Western Province.
In June 2022 the Lesotho-born Ekeji, of Nigerian descent, attended an NFL Africa camp in Ghana with the hope of playing American gridiron, having been selected to be a part of the International Player Pathways scheme. He however failed to secure a contract and is now back in South Africa and set to turn out for the Sharks.
Paschal Ekeji on stage during the third day of the 2025 NFL Draft on April 26 this year in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Picture:Another recent Junior Boks star, scrumhalf Ceano Everson has also been picked by coach JP Pietersen to start against Griquas.
Flyhalf Vusi Moyo and fullback Jaco Williams, also members of the Junior Boks team, have retained their places in the Sharks team for the trip to the Northern Cape.
In other Currie Cup matches this weekend, on Saturday the Pumas host the Lions (2pm) and the Cheetahs welcome Western Province (2pm) and on Sunday, Boland entertain the Bulls (3pm).
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