Nkosi now playing with his poster heroes
THE Sharks seemed to have made a bit of a habit of unleashing young gems this season. From Curwin Bosch, to Jeremy Ward, and now, S’bu Nkosi. It is all part of their drive to build players who are absolute “Sharks-men”, and with Nkosi they have a youngster who idolised his idols.
Nkosi, at only 21, has burst on to the scene in his few opportunities, already racking up two tries against the Sunwolves as well as a try that was not against the Force in his debut.
He is a powerful prospect, much in the line of Lwazi Mvovo, and there is a definite reason for that.
The former Junior Bok, who is from Barberton, up in Pumas country, admits that despite playing for the Pumas at the Under-16 Grant Khomo week, and then being schooled at Jeppe on a scholarship, he has always been a long time Sharks fan.
“I have supported the Sharks my whole life,” Nkosi beamed with pride. “I could have only dreamed of playing next to the same people who were posters on my bedroom wall, so it was an easy decision to make, to join the Sharks, I am loving it here.”
Mvovo was, indeed, one of those faces that donned the pacey wing’s wall, along with Sharks veteran Odwa Ndungane – who seems to have inspired Nkosi’s dreadlock appearance as well as his wing play.
“My heros were Odwa Ndungane, I still remember watching him when I was in Grade 2, as well as Lwazi Mvovo, definitely, I tried a lot to be like him when I was playing in high school, those two shaped the way I played. Also, Shaun Johnson, who is a rugby league player, I tried to copy him in all his videos, he had stepping tutorials on youtube, I’d watch his games just to try and step like him.”
While Nkosi is his own man, and is clearly at the beginning of forging what should be a path to stardom, it is easy to see why he is a sponge ready to soak up any and all knowledge that comes his way.
Asked about going from pic- tures of Ndungane and Mvovo on his wall to throwing a pass to them in Super Rugby, Nkosi clearly is enamoured by how things have panned out. However, he is not about to sit star struck and let priceless tips and tricks go begging.
“It is important to suck as much knowledge from the ‘Elders’, as we call them!” Nkosi grinned.
“You can have all the talent, but they (Mvovo and Ndungane) have developed the vision, and the eye for the game. It is important to spend as much time around them as possible so you can develop that same eye at an early stage.
Nkosi has long been in the Sharks’ plans, joining the team in 2015 out of school, then plying his trade in the junior ranks there.
He was also selected for the Junior Springboks last year, with Jeremy Ward and Curwin Bosch, making three appearances in the Under-20 Championship.
Included in the Super Rugby squad this year, coach Robert du Preez held the youngster back until he was ready to unleash him – on the Force a few weeks back.
This delayed release has been beneficial according to Nkosi.
“I think it was a good move,” Nkosi agreed.
“It is important for us youngsters to spend a lot of time around the team to get used to the intensity and the difference in the game pressures. To get eased in was the the best option, far better than being thrown in the deep end and not knowing how to swim.”