In an unapologetically rugged session at Daan Human's farm, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, the Springboks' emerging prop, shed a substantial 15 to 18 kilograms, transforming both his physique and approach to rugby under the scrum coach's tutelage. Ntlabakanye's stint at what Rassie Erasmus whimsically termed 'Kamp Daandraad' was not just a physical overhaul but a profound personal journey, culminating in a triumphant debut where South Africa blanked Italy 45-0.
Ntlabakanye's introduction to Human's unconventional training methods began when his team, the Lions, were ousted early from the URC, leaving him searching for a productive off-season. "I was kind of nervous going down there because I didn’t really know what to expect," he confessed on the Behind the Ruck podcast. It was a leap into the unknown, trading gym routines for gritty farm work. "The first time we got there, I was like, ‘Ok, what time are we going to gym?’ and he was like, ‘Gym? Ons gaan plaas toe’ (‘We’re going to the farm’)."
The sessions were grueling but shrouded in secrecy to avoid public attention. "We created kind of our own space in a way, because we didn’t really want to be in public," Ntlabakanye explained. The daily grind included cycling around the farm, ball work, and core strengthening exercises, featuring intense pull-ups and hill sprints.
"It was pretty tough but he made it very enjoyable. He’s a very, very good human being. I met his family as well. Lovely family. So I got to spend a lot of time with him as well. And he’s a very, very good man,"
Ntlabakanye praised, reflecting on his transformative experience under Human's guidance.
Human's hands-on approach was evident not just on the farm, but also in intense training sessions with the Springboks, where he famously added his own weight to scrums to increase resistance, a method captured in the Chasing the Sun 2 docuseries. "He’s climbing on top and he’s pulling other oaks (guys) from the side. He’s asking guys to pull the flankers. He’s just trying to make sure everything is as tight as possible," Ntlabakanye recalled about one such session.
For Ntlabakanye, the experience was not just about shedding weight or gaining muscle; it was a pivotal point in his career, learning from a coach who believes "It’s really all about action," as Ntlabakanye noted. This ethos of hard work and practical application has clearly left a mark on the young prop, promising a robust future in his rugby career.
2,193 posts
In an unapologetically rugged session at Daan Human's farm, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, the Springboks' emerging prop, shed a substantial 15 to 18 kilograms, transforming both his physique and approach to rugby under the scrum coach's tutelage. Ntlabakanye's stint at what Rassie Erasmus whimsically termed 'Kamp Daandraad' was not just a physical overhaul but a profound personal journey, culminating in a triumphant debut where South Africa blanked Italy 45-0.
Ntlabakanye's introduction to Human's unconventional training methods began when his team, the Lions, were ousted early from the URC, leaving him searching for a productive off-season. "I was kind of nervous going down there because I didn’t really know what to expect," he confessed on the Behind the Ruck podcast. It was a leap into the unknown, trading gym routines for gritty farm work. "The first time we got there, I was like, ‘Ok, what time are we going to gym?’ and he was like, ‘Gym? Ons gaan plaas toe’ (‘We’re going to the farm’)."
The sessions were grueling but shrouded in secrecy to avoid public attention. "We created kind of our own space in a way, because we didn’t really want to be in public," Ntlabakanye explained. The daily grind included cycling around the farm, ball work, and core strengthening exercises, featuring intense pull-ups and hill sprints.
"It was pretty tough but he made it very enjoyable. He’s a very, very good human being. I met his family as well. Lovely family. So I got to spend a lot of time with him as well. And he’s a very, very good man,"
Ntlabakanye praised, reflecting on his transformative experience under Human's guidance.Human's hands-on approach was evident not just on the farm, but also in intense training sessions with the Springboks, where he famously added his own weight to scrums to increase resistance, a method captured in the Chasing the Sun 2 docuseries. "He’s climbing on top and he’s pulling other oaks (guys) from the side. He’s asking guys to pull the flankers. He’s just trying to make sure everything is as tight as possible," Ntlabakanye recalled about one such session.
For Ntlabakanye, the experience was not just about shedding weight or gaining muscle; it was a pivotal point in his career, learning from a coach who believes "It’s really all about action," as Ntlabakanye noted. This ethos of hard work and practical application has clearly left a mark on the young prop, promising a robust future in his rugby career.