Gumede has the goods to be a Bok
MOVING TO BULLS ALLOWING HIM TO FLOURISH
Former Springbok prop Etienne Fynn has backed Bulls loose forward Mpilo Gumede to play for the Springboks, saying he has everything in his locker to make it in Test rugby.
Gumede has been one of the revelations for the Bulls this season, forming a part of the loose forward set-up of the Pretoria-based team that’s been the cornerstone of their success so far.
The 23-year-old has been called up to a 43-member Springbok alignment camp that will gather in Cape Town next month. He is thus clearly someone Bok boss Rassie Erasmus wants to have a closer look at with a view to developing younger players and with an eye on the future.
Fynn, who worked with Gumede in the Sharks Academy and gave him his big break in the Currie Cup as coach of the Sharks, opened up about what made the loose-forward a special prospect as a youngster.
“He had everything: the athletic ability, the soft skills, but where he lacked at times was in the sense of self-belief.
“That is different with different people. It’s not about the colour of your skin or where you’re from, it’s just that different people mature differently at different times,” Fynn said.
To build his confidence, Fynn and the other coaches at the Sharks encouraged his talents instead of pigeonholing him as a development player.
“With Mpilo, I didn’t see him responding to the square box, hard knocks environment. He just needed his skillset to be identified, accepted, and allowed to grow.
“Mpilo is a player whose skill set is complete; he can carry, he can distribute, he can catch. He has a full set, so you can’t pigeonhole him,” said Fynn.
At the Bulls, Gumede has come of age. Fynn believes that leaving his comfort zone of KwaZulu-Natal has allowed him to flourish.
“The move to the Bulls has been excellent for Mpilo, it has allowed him to bloom and find himself,” said Fynn.
“He’s a KZN man, and being away has allowed him to find his identity. It’s certainly been a great move for his rugby...he’s playing superb rugby. The Bulls system and Jake White have done well, he deserves the credit.”
Fynn is confident Gumede can become a regular Bok in time.
“I honestly think he can play for South Africa; he has got it all,” Fynn said. “It’s about receiving a sustained opportunity to show his worth.