Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says S’bu Nkosi’s ‘brute strength and pace’ are some of the key attributes that caught his eye, writes CRAIG LEWIS in Bloemfontein.
The well-built Sharks winger – who went by the nickname ‘Lomu’ during his high school days – has enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2017, with his Bok call-up coming just a few months after he made his Super Rugby debut back in May.
In the end, the 21-year-old went on to complete as many as 491 minutes of game time in his debut season, with his natural strengths on attack and defence seeing him quickly emerge as a youngster with all the ingredients to make it to the highest level.
While many observers might have expected Nkosi to only be a contender for the Boks’ end-of-year tour, Coetzee has wasted no time in drafting the youngster straight into the national squad for the final two Rugby Championship Tests.
The Bok coach said he was certainly looking forward to getting to know Nkosi better during his time in the squad.
‘If you ask why he is here? It’s because he has been consistently performing well. As an SA U20 player, he came through the ranks; he played well in his debut Super Rugby season, and has carried that over into the Currie Cup.
‘He has a good feel for the game, aerial skills that I’m happy with and he’s a good finisher. But he also has brute strength and real pace, and that’s what I like about this young guy.’
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According to his Sharks profile, Nkosi stands just 1.82m tall, but weighs in at a sizeable 97kg. His size and strength have certainly set him apart among South African wingers, while he relishes his role on defence (he boasted a 94% tackle success completion in Super Rugby).
As much as Nkosi has impressed this year, though, it’s likely that this initial time with the Boks will primarily be in an introductory capacity.
The Boks are set to take on Australia this Saturday, but signs suggest that Raymond Rhule and Courtnall Skosan will continue to hold down their starting berths out wide, while Dillyn Leyds remains the next winger in line.
Coetzee said Nkosi needed to settle in and enjoy his time in the Bok environment,
‘I’m sure he will relish this opportunity, and it’s our job now as coaches to make sure we use the skills that he can add value to the Springbok side. He must take the time to understand the processes here and our philosophy.
‘He is also a player for the future, and has shown that confidence when he plays for the Sharks. That’s something I’ve looked at when selecting players; you want someone coming in with confidence and the ability to make good decisions on the field. He certainly forms part of our long-term plans.’
