Learning and putting in the hard yards on the training pitch will be key to building on his Springbok baptism of fire and winning more precious Test caps, Zachary Porthen says.
The powerful 21-year-old prop said it was a dream come true to make his Bok debut in SA’s runaway 61-7 win over Japan at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday.
The experience has left Porthen wanting more game time in the green and gold jersey during SA’s forthcoming Tests against France on Saturday, Italy on November 15, Ireland (November 22) and Wales (November 29).
“The rugby was quick, just as I thought it would be, but what gave me confidence was the guys around me,” Porthen said.
“They prepped me well and kept reminding me through the week that if something goes wrong, it’s a team thing. They said, ‘Zac, don’t worry, we’ve got your back.’ That gave me confidence, and it was great.
“I thought I did alright. I obviously have a lot to learn, but there are also things I can be proud of.
“That said, I’ll go back to the drawing board and learn. I’ve already spoken to scrum coach Daan Human, and he said we have a couple of things we have to get into.
“The level of rugby was completely different, but it was nice that I got to this stage, and I feel I’ll be a little better next time because I now know what to expect.”
Porthen said he was looking forward to the remaining four tour games.
“It was my first game, and that in itself was like preparation for the rest of the tour,” he said.
“That said, I’m going to take it one step, day, and training session at a time, and do exactly what the coaches expect from me. If head coach Rassie Erasmus says, ‘Zac, do this,’ I’m going to do exactly that.
“I didn’t think my debut would come as quickly as it did. I had a different plan for myself, and that was to become more established at the Stormers. I thought this would happen over the course of maybe four or five years. But God had a different plan, and now I’m here.
“It was honestly unreal. It was a dream come true to be on the same field as all those guys who I’ve looked up to. This is what I’ve wanted to do my whole life, and it is the highlight of my career so far.
“I’m grateful to be here, and I hope I can stay here. That’s the next step.”
Asenathi Ntlabakanye joined the Springbok squad on Sunday as a replacement for Ox Nché, who suffered an injury against Japan. Nché was forced to leave the field in the 18th minute against Japan and returned to SA on Sunday, where he will undergo scans to determine the extent of his injury.
Erasmus said: “We feel for Ox, and we wish him all the best with his injury and recovery.
“It’s always tough to lose a player of his calibre, but Asenathi is a capped Springbok and he has been with us for a large part of the season, so he is familiar with our structures and systems.
“Adding to that, he was on our standby list for the tour, so there was always a chance he would be called up if we suffered an injury.
“Fortunately, he was in London already, so he arrived at the team hotel this morning and will be able to slot back into action immediately, which is fantastic for us.”
The Springboks arrived in France on Sunday afternoon and on Monday started their on-field preparations for Saturday’s match at Stade de France.
