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Ma’a Nonu to make Sharks debut against All Blacks
New signing, Ma’a Nonu from New Zealand, will make his Sharks debut against many of his former team-mates when the All Blacks visit Kings Park in Durban next Tuesday.
The match will be the second for the touring All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series. Kick off in that game is 7.10pm.
Nonu, 44, a more than 100-cap veteran of All Blacks rugby, recently joined the Durban team. He will play off the bench, with the Sharks side including a number of quality players despite them being in the middle of their off-season. capturengo.com
Nick Hatton will captain the side, which includes Emmanuel Tshituka, Phepsi Buthulezi, Vincent Koch and rising stars like flyhalf Vusi Moyo, fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya and centre Jurenzo Julius.
Junior Bok stars Liam van Wyk, Rambo Kubekha, Matt Romao and Luan Giliomee feature among the bench sitters, with the likes of Vincent Tshituka.
The touring All Blacks open their eight-game visit to South Africa with a match against the Stormers in Cape Town Friday night.
Sharks: Zekhethelo Siyaya, Donovan Don, Jurenzo Julius, Murray Koster, Litelihle Bester, Vusi Moyo, Bradley Davids, Nick Hatton (capt), Emmanuel Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi, Emile van Heerden, Hendrè Stassen, Vincent Koch, Eduan Swart, Nemo Roelofse. Bench: Liam van Wyk, Rambo Kubekha, Simphiwe Ngobese, Vincent Tshituka, Matt Romao, Ivan van Zyl, Luan Giliomee, Ma’a Nonu
Rising Bok star Zach Porthen keen to follow in the footsteps of Wilco Louw
Rising Springbok prop talent Zach Porthen is eager to follow in the footsteps of one of the world’s strongest scrummagers, Wilco Louw, and is excited to get another chance to prove his worth against Argentina in Buenos Aires this weekend.
Porthen has been named on the bench for the one-off Test, and will make his third second half cameo of the season, after coming off the bench against England and Scotland in July, while it will also be his sixth Bok cap, after making his debut in November last year.
The 22-year-old Porthen has enjoyed a stunning rise in the Bok system, despite him not being a regular at his franchise, the Stormers, but has fast become a dependable squad player for coach Rassie Erasmus. He can feature on either side of the scrum, although is primarily a tighthead.
“Wilco is someone I honestly look up to. I think he’s such a powerhouse, strong athlete; the way he scrums is just mesmerising,” said Porthen.
“I don’t think I’m quite there yet, to be completely honest with you, but there are aspects in Wilco’s game that I do want to achieve. I don’t know how long it’s going to take (to get to that level), but I want to be able to scrum the way he does.
“I want to be able to take contact the way he does and do these things with a mature sense of rugby IQ and all that. I’m hoping I get there in due time, but yeah, we’ll see how it goes.”
International step-up
Porthen, who captained the Junior Springboks back in 2024, admitted that the step up to international rugby was massive, and that he needed to put in the work and continue improving to keep himself in the system.
“Playing junior rugby is one thing, but it is obviously a massive step up to international rugby, so you are always trying to better every aspect of your game,” explained Porthen.
“Before every training session, I put my head on one or two things. I’ll say today I want to get better at this and that, and I try to be consistent to improve in every single training session.
“The biggest place where I want to get my foot in the ground is at scrum time. So I’m just hoping I can enforce a bit there and just keep improving day in and day out at scrum time.”
Looking ahead to the game against Argentina, who are known as a strong scrumming side, Porthen said he was more focused on doing his job than on what he expected from them.
“I haven’t thought too much about their reputation specifically. I take every game as the main job. I keep the main thing the main thing. Every week presents a different challenge, and this is simply the obstacle we have to overcome this week,” said Porthen.
Kick off in Buenos Aires on Saturday is 9pm.
Eight-try SA U18 smash French
SA U18 thrashed France U18 in their opening match of the U18 International Series at Hoërskool Durbanville on Friday.
The hosts ran in eight tries to triumph 52-7, having led 21-7 at half-time.
SA U18 began the match strongly by creating numerous opportunities, but handling errors let them down.
They finally broke the deadlock when fullback Lamla Mgedezi sliced through the French defence.
Further tries by No 8 and captain Jacobus de Villiers and right wing Anesu Kuzonyei – all converted by flyhalf Ethan van Biljon – gave the South Africans a deserved lead at the break, with France getting on the board with a try by hooker Luani Suta.
REPORT: SA U18 A edge Irish in thriller
It was one-way traffic in the second half, with left wing Ncutu Kepe, loose forward Stefan van der Vyver, replacement outside backs Luke Boyle and Thabiso Simelane, and Mgedezi all scoring tries for the hosts.
SA U18 next tackle Ireland on Tuesday at Boland Landbou outside Wellington.
SA U18 – Tries: Lamla Mgedezi (2), Jacobus de Villiers, Anesu Kuzonyei, Ncutu Kepe, Stefan van der Vyver, Luke Boyle, Thabiso Simelane. Conversions: Ethan van Biljon (4), Achmat Behardien.
FRANCE U18 – Try: Luani Suta. Conversion: Jehlani Trillo.
Photo: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images
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