Man of the Match against Clermont, a relentless shift at blindside flank in the win over Lyon. Meet Matt Romao, the 21-year-old Hollywoodbets Sharks loose forward whose work rate demands attention.
From the town of Springbok in the Northern Cape to the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ senior side, the young loose forward is building a reputation for relentless work, uncompromising defence and performances that demand attention.
There are players who catch the eye with a moment of brilliance. And then there are players who keep showing up, tackle after tackle, carry after carry, until their influence on a game becomes impossible to ignore.
Matt Romao belongs in the latter category.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks loose forward has already offered a glimpse of his potential on the European stage. In January, he was named Man of the Match in the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ emphatic 50-12 Champions Cup victory over Clermont, producing the kind of all-action performance that made people take notice.
Against Lyon in October, he provided a timely reminder of what he brings to the side.
Starting at blindside flank in a reshuffled Hollywoodbets Sharks team, Romao was part of a back row that made a significant contribution to a hard-fought 40-33 victory in France. It was a match that demanded physicality, resilience and commitment, with the Hollywoodbets Sharks having to withstand Lyon’s late fightback before securing a dramatic win.
Romao’s performance fitted the occasion. He is a player who seems to run on a constant supply of fuel: always involved, always willing to put his body on the line, always ready to get back into the next contest.
His tackling is a defining feature of his game. There is an almost diesel-engine quality to his work rate – steady, powerful and relentless. One defensive effort is followed by another, and another. He keeps going, putting himself in the places where the hard work needs to be done.
For a young player working to establish himself in senior rugby, that is an important foundation.
And with Clermont and Lyon now providing two notable European performances, Romao is giving Hollywoodbets Sharks supporters increasing reason to remember his name.
From Springbok to the Hollywoodbets Sharks
Romao’s journey to the Hollywoodbets Sharks began in the town of Springbok, in the Northern Cape. He attended Drostdy Technical High School in Worcester, where his performances earned him selection for Boland at the 2023 Craven Week.
That opportunity helped open the door to South Africa Schools, placing him among the country’s promising young players.
In 2024, he joined the Sharks Academy and continued to progress through the representative ranks, earning selection for the SA U19 side that year. He was part of the Sharks U21 team that won the 2025 U21 Cup and went on to represent the Junior Springboks at Under-20 level in 2025.
Each step brought a new challenge and another opportunity to develop his game.
The pathway is an important part of the Romao story. His rise has been built through the progression of school, provincial, age-group and academy rugby, with each stage bringing him closer to the demands of the senior game.
Earning His Stripes
Romao made his Carling Currie Cup debut for the Hollywoodbets Sharks in 2024 and featured again in the competition in 2025. He subsequently graduated to the senior side, making his Vodacom United Rugby Championship debut against Connacht during the 2025/26 season.
The move into senior rugby brings a different level of expectation. Physical attributes and age-group achievements can open the door, but performances at the highest level are what keep it open.
Romao’s display against Clermont was an important step. Named Man of the Match in a comprehensive European victory, he showed that his contribution could extend beyond simply filling a role in the pack. His work helped create opportunities for the Hollywoodbets Sharks, and his influence was recognised at the end of the contest.
Lyon offered another test.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks travelled to France with a much-changed team, presenting opportunities for players to demonstrate the depth developing within the squad. Romao started at blindside flank and helped provide the physical presence and defensive commitment required in a demanding away fixture.
The result was significant, but so was the reminder of the qualities he brings. His willingness to keep working, keep tackling and remain involved gives the Hollywoodbets Sharks a player who can contribute to the less glamorous parts of the game – the repeated efforts that help create the platform for others to shine.
These are the performances that build a reputation. Not necessarily one spectacular moment, but the accumulation of work that makes a player increasingly difficult to overlook.
The Work Ahead
At 21, Romao is still at the beginning of his senior career. There is more to learn, more competition for places and more opportunities to turn promising performances into consistency.
That is the next challenge: taking what he has shown against Clermont and Lyon and making those standards a regular feature of his game.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks have invested in a pathway that allows young players to progress from the academy into senior rugby. Romao’s journey is an example of that progression, and his recent European performances offer encouraging evidence of what can follow.
The task now is to keep building – to continue earning his opportunities, contributing to the team and developing the complete game required at this level. For supporters, the appeal is easy to recognise. Romao brings energy, physicality and a work rate that does not appear to let up. He tackles, gets back to his feet, finds the next job and gets on with it.
Clermont showed what he could produce. Lyon reminded everyone of what to expect.
Remember the name: Matt Romao.
