Zach Porthen: Springboks Star Shares Why Fringe Players Are Hungry to Prove Themselves vs Wallabies
- Zach Porthen is set to earn his eighth Test cap and make his third start when the Springboks face Australia at Optus Stadium on Sunday
- Porthen said the much-changed squad are more motivated than expected despite heavy rotation following the All Blacks series
- Sharks skipper André Esterhuizen is in line to become the 68th Springbok captain for the one-off Test in Perth
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Springbok tighthead prop Zach Porthen believes the players, given an opportunity against Australia, are determined to show exactly what they can offer at Test level.
Porthen is set to win his eighth Springbok cap when South Africa face the Wallabies at Perth's 61,000-seater Optus Stadium on Sunday.
The 21-year-old will make his third Test start in a heavily changed Springbok lineup. He previously started against Japan and Italy during the 2025 end-of-year tour before making five appearances from the bench.
His latest substitute appearance came during the opening match of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand at Ellis Park.
Porthen will form part of a new-look front row against Australia, with Johan Grobbelaar starting at hooker and Jan-Hendrik Wessels selected at loosehead.
Porthen highlights fringe players' hunger
Despite South Africa coming off a demanding four-Test series against the All Blacks, Porthen does not believe motivation will be an issue for the players coming into the team.
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The young prop stressed that representing the Springboks automatically provides enough motivation because every Test carries significant importance for both the players and the country.
He also believes the number of changes to the starting lineup has increased the determination among the players given an opportunity in Perth.
According to Porthen, several squad members are even more eager than expected to get onto the field after being given time to recover. The break has allowed them to recharge, but it has also increased their desire to prove themselves when their opportunity arrives.
Esterhuizen prepares for captaincy milestone
Sunday's Test will also be a landmark occasion for André Esterhuizen, who is set to become the 68th player to captain the Springboks.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus has handed the 32-year-old Sharks centre the captaincy as part of his wider plan to strengthen the team's leadership group.
Porthen welcomed the decision and believes Esterhuizen is well suited to the responsibility after his leadership work with the Sharks.
However, he does not expect the change in captain to alter the way the Springboks operate as a team.
Porthen highlighted the presence of experienced leaders within the squad, including Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert, who remain influential voices when important decisions need to be made on the field.
The tighthead believes having several senior players around Esterhuizen will ease the pressure of his new role and provide valuable support throughout the Test.
For Porthen, the combination of Esterhuizen's leadership and the experience surrounding him should allow the new captain to settle into the role while maintaining the standards expected of the Springboks.
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Source: Briefly News
