KwaZulu-Natal’s Sharks got their logo from Hottentots-Holland High School.
In the mid-1990s, the school’s 1st XV was sponsored by Canon, which also sponsored Natal’s provincial team at the time.
SARugbymag.co.za understands that the school, which is situated between the towns of Somerset West and Strand, agreed to give the Natal Rugby Union its logo, which saw the team rebranded from the ‘Banana Boys’ to the ‘Sharks’.
Other rugby teams around the world have since adopted ‘Sharks’ as their nickname, including English Premiership club Sale and the new Miami team in America’s Major League Rugby, much to the annoyance of KZN Sharks owner Marco Masotti.
However, it’s Hottentots-Holland High School, and not Masotti’s team, who were the original rugby Sharks.
Are you absolutely kidding me??? Change it! You can try but there is only one @SharksRugby on this planet. #sharks #rugby https://t.co/sOq6Gei4DJ
— Marco Masotti (@MarcoMasotti_) January 9, 2023