Griquas may have real gem for Boks
Should Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer run into a second row crisis somewhere down the line, he may want to look on home soil before heading abroad again.
This is the view of Griquas coach Pote Human, who felt unheralded lock Martin Muller has all the attributes required of an international lock.
Muller, who moved to Kimberley in 2011 after failing to get regular Super Rugby game time in Cape Town, has been a rock for the vastly improved Griquas team in their Currie Cup victories in the last few weeks.
The men from Kimberley, after struggling to get out the blocks, moved off the bottom of the standings with victories over the defending Currie Cup champion Golden Lions and Sharks in the past fortnight.
And Human was full of praise for the role Muller played in those triumphs.
"I have gained the utmost respect for Martin in the two years that I have worked with him," Human said of the 24-year-old second row forward, who played just three games for the Stormers in 2009, before becoming a regular feature at the Cheetahs in 2011.
Injuries curtailed his Super Rugby season in 2012, but he has regained his best form in the Currie Cup.
"I truly believe he can play for South Africa in the future," Human told this website, adding: "His line-out standards are from the top shelve and his work ethics are unbelievable, he carries the ball; well and is a great defender.
"I truly believe there is a great future for him in South African rugby."
Asked what it would take for Muller to make the step up from provincial to international lock, Human had one word – opportunity.
"There is no doubt he will grab it [an opportunity] with both hands.
"He showed against the top teams in the country what he is capable of … this past Saturday against the Sharks and the week before against the Golden Lions.
"I have no doubt he'll put down another marker against the Bulls this coming Saturday," Human said of the Griquas' Round Six encounter in Kimberley.
And Muller is getting great support from his second row partner Rynhard Landman.
"He [Landman] is another hard, grafting player," Human said, adding: "He could carry the ball a bit more, be a bit more physical, but is also invaluable to us."
Muller showed his credentials at a very young age, having represented his country at a number of age-group levels – including SA Schools and SA Under-19 and SA Under-21.
He made his Super rugby debut with the Stormers in 2009.
Muller impressed many pundits and coaches around the country with his performances in the 2009 Varsity Cup, playing for UCT, and quickly went through the ranks of Western Province.
In 2011, after a frustrating 2010 season spent largely out of the matchday squad, Muller decided to move to Kimberley, joining Griquas.
The move looked to have paid dividends.
By Jan de Koning
