New Bok on the block old enough to know, young enough to do

KENSINGTON, LONDON: Many an eyebrow must’ve been raised when Zachary Porthen’s name appeared on the Springbok team sheet to face Japan at Wembley on Saturday, but the age-old saying of ‘if they are good enough, they are old enough’ certainly applies.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus also admits he hasn’t had a lot of conversations with the newly appointed Bok tighthead prop, but if comments by the scrum doctor, Daan Human, are to be believed, South Africa has found their next No.3.

“It’s not like we haven’t seen him grow as he came through the system and played for the Junior Boks,” Erasmus told Rugby365 after the team announcement at the team hotel in Kensington on Tuesday.

“Obviously, we are trying to get as many players as possible to the way we do things.

“With Frans Malherbe really doubtful at this stage, and hopefully by June next year, when we play France, hopefully he will be back, but we aren’t sure of that.

“Then Thomas du Toit isn’t available due to the Premiership ruling and is only available next week. Neethling [Fouche] has an injury currently. And then Asenathi [Ntlabakanye] with the positive test.

“We are giving Zachary a chance with some experienced guys like Malcolm [Marx] and Ox [Nche] next to him,” he explained.

“Sometimes, young guys like that are fearless and enjoy the moment. Sometimes, if you put them on the bench, it builds up the nerve. So we will see on Saturday if it was the right or the wrong call.

“Having Thomas and Wilco [Louw] here, and knowing what Vincent [Koch] can do, who also got injured in the [Sharks v Scarlets] warm-up last week, it’s five or six guys who are not here.

“And then having a guy who is 21, 22, and sometimes people say, ‘but when’. If you don’t give him a chance now, he might take it, because physically, he is in the shape and condition to handle it.

“I think the biggest challenge for him will be mentally to suddenly play against older guys in a Test match, because he certainly has the power, skill set, and athletic ability to make it at this level,” the coach elaborated.

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He explained that the youngster has been impressive in training.

“He scrums against Ox [Nche] and those guys at the training session, and I guess that’s how tough it gets.

“But then the challenge is against Japan, and I’m not saying to make them better than they are, but hell, they are scrumming really well.

“They are not the old Japanese team with ball in and out. It’s definitely a Japanese team that scrummed well against Australia.

“So it will not be an easy game for him.

“We just thought, let’s throw him in there. So we thought, let’s throw him in there with good, solid guys around him and two big, experienced locks behind him.”

It is all part of the Project 2027 plan, and Erasmus is aware that some of his veterans might not make it, and starting out with Porthen now will make him a seasoned Test player by the next World Cup.

“I think he is a promising player who can make it to 2027 if one of the other props, like Franna, doesn’t make it.

“I don’t personally know him well, but Daan has worked with him, and he came through our EPD [Elite Player Development] system.”

For those nay-sayers who believe a tighthead should be a bit older, Erasmus is not convinced.

“We picked Canan Moodie when he was 18 against Australia away from home, and he scored the match-winning try after we lost the first Test match.

“I think Ollie le Roux was 20 when he made his debut. Os du Randt was just as young.

“He is a tighthead and that’s a bit different. I haven’t coached him or worked with him a lot, and I don’t think I have spoken more than 100 words with him.”

“But he understands why we are starting him.”