Zach Porthen says the Springboks’ fringe players are “hungry” to prove themselves against the Wallabies on Sunday. SIMON BORCHARDT reports.
Porthen will earn his eighth Test cap and make his third start as part of a much-changed Bok team for the one-off Test at the 61,000-capacity Optus Stadium.
The former Junior Boks captain started his first two Tests against Japan and Italy on the 2025 end-of-year tour at the age of 21, before making five appearances off the bench, the most recent in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series opener against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
On Sunday, Porthen will start at tighthead prop in a new-look front row alongside hooker Johan Grobbelaar and loosehead Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
He insists the world champions won’t have a problem getting up for the seventh-ranked Wallabies after the brutal four-Test battle with the All Blacks.
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“First things first, this is Test rugby, and everyone who goes out on the field knows that it means a lot to each player. It means a lot for the country. So that in itself is enough to get you up for any game.
“A lot of the boys here, especially this week, since there have been so many changes in the lineup, are actually hungrier than you think.
“Although, yes, we’ve gotten some time off, the boys are hungry to get back on the field to prove themselves and to show what this means to them.”
There is also a new voice leading the team this week, with Sharks skipper André Esterhuizen set to become the 68th Springbok captain. Erasmus said handing the 32-year-old hybrid the responsibility was part of an effort to grow the Boks’ leadership group.
Porthen said little had changed, though.
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“I’m very happy for André. He’s done a lot of good work at the Sharks as well.
“I don’t think it’s completely different, because he’s got lots of good leaders around him. It doesn’t really change the fact that Eben [Etzebeth]’s going to say something when something’s wrong, Franco [Mostert]’s going to say something when he feels like a certain aspect of our game needs to be adapted.
“André’s definitely the right person. But what helps him, and what is going to be great for the team, is having those other leaders around.”
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