Talotti looking for home victory

Player profile

We profile the talented Roberto Talotti, captain of Wynberg Boys' High in their FNB Classic Clash with the oldest school in South Africa, SACS.

Roberto Talotti was born in Cape Town on the 5 October 1986. He attended Kirstenhoff Primary where he started playing rugby as a scrumhalf. Roberto then left Kirstenhoff at the end of standard five and joined Wynberg where he continued to play scrumhalf until Under-15 level, before moving to eighthman, his current position for Wynberg.

Wynberg 1st XV coach David Schenk believes that Roberto has all the attributes of a great eighthman. His positional play is sharp and most probably the result of his ability to read the game so well. His defence is uncompromising and makes many a turnover at ruck time.

Roberto finds his captaincy to be a great honour and cherishes every time that he leads the 1st XV onto the field, “A great leader and tactician” according to his first team coach. The school prefect has already obtained full-colours for rugby and takes a bit of a break from rugby in the summer, where he plays waterpolo at a social level.

Sport seems to be in the genes, as Roberto’s uncle Jimmy Giles played rugby for Northern Transvaal and grandmother Ruby played provincial hockey.

Home ground advantage sits with Wynberg and will hopefully settle nerves and allow the talents of outside-centre Dominic Telo and left-wing Marcello Samson to work their magic. Their star will be missing through injury – Richard Lawson, the Western Province fullback.

Wynberg had had a good pre-season. At the KES Festival they drew with Glenwood, and beat Parktown and Queen's. Unfortunately Wynberg have then had to play a handful of the toughest sides in the Province and have failed to repeat the performances of their pre-season tour.

Let's hope they can play to their potential this weekend and get the season back on track.