Teboho Mahoje
The running joke may be that Heyneke Meyer is selecting his best side for the 2007 Rugby World Cup with the number of Springbok veterans in his side, but the inclusion of Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje for Saturday’s Test against Scotland may suggest otherwise.
The versatile loose forward had experienced a meteoric rise in his career and could make his Springbok debut playing off the bench against Scotland in Port Elizabeth only a few months after playing Varsity Cup rugby for Shimlas.
While a patch of grey hair in his primary school years secured him the Afrikaans nickname “oupa”, meaning grandfather, the versatile forward is anything but a geriatric.
Sport24
The QwaQwa-born player had taken an unconventional journey towards reaching the highest honours in South African rugby. His stars began to align when he moved with his family to Bloemfontein at the age of seven.
There, his rugby picked up at Louis Botha High School and he went on to play for Free State in the 2007 under-18 Academy and 2008 Craven Week tournaments.
Meyer said he regarded Mohoje as a strong contender for the Springbok side after he impressed both physically and in the lineouts.
“I am very excited about Oupa.”
“He has really impressed me in the camp.”
“I’ve even said to him in the first camp that I thought he was good enough to play and I want to give him a chance against Scotland,” the coach said on Wednesday.
“He is big, strong and brilliant in the lineouts.”
“I think he can be a really great blind side flanker.”
“He has more or less the same build as Willem Alberts and I want to see what he does when he comes on.”
Mohoje’s rise may seem rapid but he first had to graduate from three years of playing university rugby for Shimlas before he made his Currie Cup debut for the Cheetahs in 2013.
“It didn’t look possible then (playing in the Varsity Cup) but it came now – it is a dream come true.”
“I am happy that the coach has backed me so far and I really can’t wait for Saturday’s game,” Mohoje said ahead of the Test.
“He’s (Meyer) always backed me from day one at the first camp in Durban, telling me that I will get my chance.”
“He doesn’t believe in giving people chances, he believes in people deserving chances.”
The 23-year-old was in the same physical mould of most blind-side flankers but added another dimension to the lineouts.
He had been likened to Juan Smith, regarded as one of the greatest flankers to play for South Africa, but Mohoje would be looking to make his own name when he made his debut on Saturday.
Playing ahead of Mohoje was another legend of recent years in Schalk Burger, who returned to the starting line-up for the first time since the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
South Africa had a reputation of producing a plethora of world-class loose forwards and Mohoje would be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the giants who came before him.
Mohoje had taken giant leaps this year, but sometimes baby steps were required, and on Saturday his chance would come from the bench.
Is’nt this a lekker good “Feel Good” story!!
I’ve been impressed with Mohoje, he’s really come on in leaps and bounds in 2014.
die klong is vinnig besig om een van my gunsteling spelers te word, hy het daai regte no noncense houding wat juan smith het en ook geen side shows nie net plain harde rugby
A great talent and an immense potential!
The Bulls should sign him!
🙄
Tough luck to Ghana and Africa as another team from the continent bit the dust in the soccer wc.
Flippin Americans going through in group of death … and even Jurgen Klinsmann is speaking with an American accent…
Weird times indeed.
@ robzim:4
Very disappointed in Ghana.
I think I overestimated their result against the Germans and foolishly picked them to beat the Portuguese 2-1. Right score, wrong team won though.
The Germans also let me down, expected a much better win from them against the Yanks
I’ll admit that I’m no expert on the Cheetahs, but I’m struggling to get where this Oupa character is all of a sudden so good as a loose forward that he makes the Bok team.
What I do know about the Cheetahs is that Boom and Brussouw are their standout loosies.
In fact, Boom is the best loose forward of the fantasy league, yet this guy is all of a sudden above him?
Whitely is second on the list for SA loose forwards and Oupa is listed as a lock, not a loosie.
Is he really so good and did I just maybe miss the miracle of his rise by not really giving a shit about the Cheetahs?
@ nortierd:
The Yanks are better than I gave them credit for .. seems old Jurgen is doing a great job.
I saw Suarez has been kicked out of the tournament also picking up a four month ban on all football activities, a nine game international ban and a fine.
They must be fuming at Liverpool as his selling price has now probably dropped by more than the total budget of a lesser team.
@ nortierd:
@ 6
I have also hardly ever heard of him but as he excites Heineke Meyer who am I to doubt his credentials 🙂
@ robzim:
Good, he deserved a heftier ban, not for the bite, but for the pathetic dive and holding his teeth afterwards.
Uruguy’s chances also just took a serious dive.
The Yanks have surprised, they are a negative, but tenacious bunch. Don’t give much away.
Lol, Ronaldo had probably 5 clear chances today, but unfortunately for me, the one he did make count was the one that cost me
@ robzim:8
What and who doesn’t excite Heyneke?
That guy must be a nightmare at a place like Disney World, can you imagine his excitement there?
But, I guess Oupa has been awesome in training and awesome in getting to the team meetings in time and awesome during the boekevat sessions and super awesome during the practice sessions of the anthem
Just saw this headline:
Coca-Cola Craven Weeks kick off in Durban #SchoolRugby.mobi
Are the Sharks becoming like Bafana?
The only way they can take part in junior rugby is if they host the tournament.
@ nortierd:
@ 10
hahaha… good one.. HM does so much praising these days he is beginning to look more like a charismatic preacher than a rugby coach..
Re the soccer….. now that Suarez and Ronaldo is out it’s up to the remaining superstars ( Messi, Robben or Neymar) to win it for their respective countries or otherwise the all round good Germans will probably take it.
I would say its going to be between Argentinia and Germany. Brazil as outsiders.
@ robzim:12
I agree with those 3 sides you named, would also add the Netherlands in there. Should be between one of those 4, with Argentina and Brazil slightly more likely, more because of history in South America than anything else.
I’m not completely convinced about Germany, they seem to be lumbering at the moment, hopefully they start playing some serious football from the knock out stage
@ nortierd:
Another team who is on paper very good is Belgium… they might be a bit of a “surprise package” in the sense that they are not traditionally up there with the top nations but this year they have more talent then ever before.. … France is also in with a chance I suppose.
@ robzim:
Not quite convinced about Belguim, also read more about their prowess than see it.
French, well at least, unlike 2010, they seem more cohesive and are not having fistfights between themselves 😀
Belgium down to 10 men, guess my 2-0 prediction in their favor is also out the window
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