Young Sharks prop Mchunu not intimidated by Koch talk
For many youngsters having a lot of big-name stars joining their team could be intimidating, but for Sharks prop Ntuthuko Mchunu it’s a boon for his career.
Mchunu exists in a star-studded Sharks squad where the forward pack contains the likes of Ox Nche, Thomas du Toit, Bongi Mbonambi and other high-class performers.
Recently, there has been talk that another World Cup-winning Springbok, Vincent Koch, might join the Sharks from English side Wasps, who have ceased operation due to financial struggles.
However, Koch, 32, is a man in high demand, with franchises such as Sale Sharks and other European sides reported to be in negotiations with him.
Asked about the possible arrival of another Bok star in Durban, Mchunu said he would not see it as intimidating, but as a chance to learn from the best and continue improving in his young, blossoming career.
“Personally, I think one thing the Sharks have done [right] is to grow the group,” Mchunu said.
“With the World Cup winners coming in, from my side as a young front-rower, the only thing I can do is soak up and feed off each other.
“They are really good guys on and off the field. I think every time I spend time with them I just try to squeeze and maximise on the learnings because they’ve got a lot of experience.
“I respect them. They really lift the mood, challenge and lift the standards. So I try to soak up as much as I can from them.”
After the disappointment of their game against Ulster in Durban on Saturday being called off due to an outbreak of gastroenteritis in the Irish team’s squad, Mchunu and his teammates are preparing to face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld this Sunday (4.45pm).
“It was quite shocking news that came on Friday,” Mchunu said.
“We had a really good week of preparation and we had just come off a win from the week before.
“Because we didn’t play, some players are going to be fresh this weekend and we have prepared really well in the past few days.”
The Bulls clash promises to be an epic because of the rich rivalry between the two sides.
The last time the Sharks travelled to Pretoria, they narrowly lost to the Bulls in the URC quarterfinals to end what had been a very inconsistent season for the Durbanites.
“It’s always a big game when two South African sides are going up against each other,” Mchunu said.