He needs to be nurtured. Play him off the bench. He must be handled with care. Why?
It’s not as if Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje doesn’t know how to play rugby. It’s not as if he’ll break. I’ve heard all the excuses under the sun why the Cheetahs man isn’t ready to start for the Springboks, and I’m pretty tired of it.
Why shouldn’t Mohoje get an opportunity to play at the highest level? Because he’s black?
C’mon, the guy is seriously talented; he showed as much in the Varsity Cup – where he actually led Shimlas – and he showed it in Super Rugby.
The fact he didn’t start all the games isn’t his fault; that’s a question coach Naka Drotske has to answer.
I feel for Mohoje. He was leapfrogged into the Bok side by, first, Marcell Coetzee, then Juan Smith and then Warren Whiteley. It’s no fault of these players they were picked, but why not Mohoje?
Why has he had to wait for Willem Alberts and Francois Louw to get crocked, and for Smith to realise he’s not in shape to play Test rugby, before he comes into the reckoning?
It’s actually sad we have to discuss a player of immense talent and potential, who happens to be black, and been overlooked by the above-mentioned players when he was picked in June as the contender for the blindside flanker position.
He wasn’t selected to merely train with the Boks, as has now happened with Nizaam Carr, Seabelo Senatla and Lizo Gqoboka.
Mohoje is already 24 years old, he’s played a bit of rugby and he’s no doubt learned a fair bit about the game since his school days and let’s not forget far younger players have been picked to play Test rugby, but there weren’t nearly as many debates about readiness as there are now with Mohoje. Think of Eben Etzebeth, Jan Serfontein, Handré Pollard, Lood de Jager – players who’ve all had a fair crack at Test rugby.
Yes, Mohoje is probably a bit raw and he’s probably got plenty to learn, but then so do many players. He may just be a breath of fresh air, he may bring something new and exciting to the team; he may even be the new Joe van Niekerk. Mohoje reminds me quite a bit of the former Bok, who only recently called it a day after spending many years in Toulon. Van Niekerk was an exciting ball-carrier, he had pace and strength, good hands and quick feet.
There will be pressure on Mohoje if he starts against Australia this weekend, but no more than the pressure on every Bok player. It’s just a pity there’s so much discussion about him. There really shouldn’t be... if he’d been picked to play as the next-in-line to the No7 jersey all this debate wouldn’t be necessary. That’s the real pity.
The Star