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Zachary Porthen: 'We clearly at times couldn’t handle the pressure'

The personalised stitching on Zachary Porthen's Junior Boks kit last Friday (Photo by Carl Fourie/World Rugby)

It’s nothing unusual for the host country not to win the World Rugby U20 Championship. In its first 12 editions from 2008 to 2019, there were just three home winners, a one-in-four success rate, so South Africa failing to secure 2023 and 2024 gold in Cape Town in editions 13 and 14 can’t be called a disaster.

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What was a let-down in recent weeks, though, was the Junior Boks’ failure to reach the semi-finals. Bar 2011, they had always been part of the last four shake-ups, but pool losses to Argentina and England counted them out on this occasion.

Instead, they were left contesting the seventh-place rankings match with Wales on Friday, a campaign-closing fixture that at least ended on a happier note, a 47-31 win at Cape Town Stadium.

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HITS, BUMPS AND HANDOFFS! | The biggest collisions from the 2023 U20s World Championships

A showcase of the most ferocious collisions from the 2023 U20s World Championships all in one place!

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HITS, BUMPS AND HANDOFFS! | The biggest collisions from the 2023 U20s World Championships

A showcase of the most ferocious collisions from the 2023 U20s World Championships all in one place!

For skipper Zachary Porthen, it was a consolation glimpse at what might have been, the tighthead’s tries on 10 and 68 minutes giving the Capetonian something to smile about at the end of a difficult four weeks.

The next step on Porthen’s pathway is the Western Province U21s and a shot at eventually making their Currie Cup mix. He’s hoping that the many lessons learned in his two years with the Junior Boks will stand him in good stead.

“Last year when I came into the set-up I didn’t speak much, I was here to learn,” he explained to RugbyPass on Friday evening before heading into the dressing room and taking off his South Africa U20s jersey for the final time.

“Of course I am here now to learn as well but last year I was kind of more when someone told me to do something I’d do it, just learn things about standards and what the coaches want from us as players.

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“This year I took it on me to drive those standards and to almost get the messages that the coaches want towards the players, to transfer those messages from coaches to players which I think is a good part of my character development.

“I’m happy that I got this opportunity to lead the team because I have learned a lot of skills like that. When I’m in my element I reckon I talk a lot, when I’m in a good environment I’ll talk a lot. Otherwise, I’m more, I wouldn’t say on the quiet side but I observe.”

What stood out most to him about international rugby at U20s? “The tempo of the game is something I’ve almost learned to control and understand which is nice so hopefully this can help me in the future in that sense with regards to managing tempo.

“There are a lot of good rugby players in South Africa and we can’t forget that.. the development process is going to get better. Of course, we are not at the same level as certain countries but we are getting there and we just need to have faith in our country because they are good rugby players in this country and our time will come.

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“We always had a good plan, it’s just we didn’t execute on the field. If anything, maybe we just needed to put ourselves under pressure more in times like training because we clearly at times couldn’t handle the pressure,” he said, drawing a final line under the Junior Boks class of 2024.

Porthen will move on to his next challenge with a thumbs-up verdict from Bafana Nhleko, his Junior Boks boss. “Zach has grown immensely. When he came to us he was a phenomenal athlete but probably not really focused on set-piece and scrummaging and over time we have spoken a lot about the need for him to grow as a scrummager and be a dominant set-piece player.

Attack

162
Passes
153
118
Ball Carries
130
211m
Post Contact Metres
365m
16
Line Breaks
10

“He has shown immense growth and he has the willingness to learn. That is probably the biggest thing for us with regards to him, and the second thing with that is just the responsibility of leading that. He is an introverted guy but over time I have seen how he has grown as a leader, as a leader of men. I have seen how he has grown as a professional.

“He is 19, 20 so it is not always a strong point for some of them, and I have seen how he has taken his game seriously. But above that, small things, how he analyses, how he works hard on his recovery process. I’m excited for how he is going to take the lessons forward for himself and I’d like to see him hopefully lead a different team higher up.”

What made him captain material at a tricky time for the South African age-grade set-up? “One of the things that probably stood out for me was when we spoke to the guys coming back this year, he spoke about the hurt of the team losing in the (2023) semi-final and him coming off the bench.

“But he also spoke about what a team needs to look like, spoke about his experiences from last year, started talking a lot more about just the team – teamness. Those are the type of qualities and he still displays those things.

“You talk to Zach about the week and where we are, the first thing is he has checked in on the guys, ‘this guy is good, this guy is not so good, just touch base with him, the boys are feeling this way’.

“So he really genuinely is about representing the team and understanding the mood of the group and through that, which I saw from last year and the pain he carried from last year and wanting to make things better, that has made him a better leader.

“Zach is a Cape Town boy, loves the Western Cape, loves the Stormers. It gave him energy and even when it was tough, he had family supporting. He has got people in and around him that really believe in him and support him as part of the process. It’s been good to have a local boy captaining the team.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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