Stormers' coaching duo Rito Hlungwani and John Dobson can't stop raving about Zachary Porthen's meteoric rise in the rugby world. The fresh-faced 21-year-old prop, who debuted for the Stormers just this May, has now earned a coveted spot in Rassie Erasmus' 36-man Bok squad for their year-end tour, marking him as the sole newcomer to the team. It's been quite the year for Porthen, whose performances on the field have clearly marked him as a future Springbok star.
Hlungwani, the Stormers forwards coach, is particularly impressed with the young prop's development, noting,
"He does the types of things the Springboks like,"
from his solid tackle technique to his scrummaging skills which have seen significant improvements. "In my mind, I'm thinking [Springbok scrum coach] Daan [Human] would probably just want to work with him even more now." Porthen's all-around abilities have not gone unnoticed, with Hlungwani praising his attitude and impact on both sides of the ball. "He's a hard worker, that kid. He can run, he’s explosive... An attack coach likes him because he’s got a high work rate and carries well, the defence coach the same thing: tackles, likes the physical stuff and has a strong leg drive once he’s tackled you."
Dobson, the director of rugby, has watched Porthen's progress since his days leading the Junior Boks at the World Rugby U20 Championship. The growth since then has been, in Dobson's words, "staggering." Reflecting on those challenging times, Dobson shared,
"He’s a leader and if you’re going to sketch a tighthead from scratch, you probably do it in the build and size of Zach. His intensity in contact and work rate is brilliant and we’re very happy for him."
Porthen’s journey from a promising junior to a player rubbing shoulders with world champions encapsulates the kind of fairy-tale ascent that makes rugby so thrilling. With the backing of his coaches and his undeniable talent, the future looks bright for this young Stormer as he prepares to make his mark on the international stage.
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Stormers' coaching duo Rito Hlungwani and John Dobson can't stop raving about Zachary Porthen's meteoric rise in the rugby world. The fresh-faced 21-year-old prop, who debuted for the Stormers just this May, has now earned a coveted spot in Rassie Erasmus' 36-man Bok squad for their year-end tour, marking him as the sole newcomer to the team. It's been quite the year for Porthen, whose performances on the field have clearly marked him as a future Springbok star.
Hlungwani, the Stormers forwards coach, is particularly impressed with the young prop's development, noting,
"He does the types of things the Springboks like,"
from his solid tackle technique to his scrummaging skills which have seen significant improvements. "In my mind, I'm thinking [Springbok scrum coach] Daan [Human] would probably just want to work with him even more now." Porthen's all-around abilities have not gone unnoticed, with Hlungwani praising his attitude and impact on both sides of the ball. "He's a hard worker, that kid. He can run, he’s explosive... An attack coach likes him because he’s got a high work rate and carries well, the defence coach the same thing: tackles, likes the physical stuff and has a strong leg drive once he’s tackled you."Dobson, the director of rugby, has watched Porthen's progress since his days leading the Junior Boks at the World Rugby U20 Championship. The growth since then has been, in Dobson's words, "staggering." Reflecting on those challenging times, Dobson shared,
"He’s a leader and if you’re going to sketch a tighthead from scratch, you probably do it in the build and size of Zach. His intensity in contact and work rate is brilliant and we’re very happy for him."
Porthen’s journey from a promising junior to a player rubbing shoulders with world champions encapsulates the kind of fairy-tale ascent that makes rugby so thrilling. With the backing of his coaches and his undeniable talent, the future looks bright for this young Stormer as he prepares to make his mark on the international stage.