Zachary Porthen Calls Springbok Debut A ‘Dream Come True’ And Sets Sights On Long-Term Spot

Springbok tighthead prop Zachary Porthen says making his Test debut for South Africa was nothing short of a “dream come true”, but he’s determined to ensure it’s only the beginning of his international journey.

At just 21 years old, Porthen became the youngest prop ever to represent the Springboks, stepping onto the field in South Africa’s emphatic 61–7 victory over Japan at Wembley Stadium.

The young front-rower impressed with his solid scrummaging and work rate before being substituted by Wilco Louw early in the second half.

Speaking after the match, the former Junior Springbok captain admitted that his inclusion in the squad came sooner than expected — a result of a string of injuries and player absences that opened the door for him.

‘I Am Hopeful I Can Stay Here’

Porthen described the experience as “unreal”, admitting that he had initially expected to break through at franchise level before earning a national call-up.

“I think the way I put it is like a dream come true,” he said. “To be on the same field as all those guys, I could only dream of it and now it’s actually happening. It’s crazy.”

Reflecting on the timing of his selection, he added, “I thought I’d first have to establish myself at the Stormers, but God had a different plan and now we are here. I am grateful to be here and I am hopeful I can stay here. That is the next step.”

Zachary Porthen Eyes Growth After Debut Performance

Porthen admitted that Test rugby was faster and more demanding than what he had experienced before, but said the exposure gave him a valuable foundation to build on.

“The level of rugby was completely different. But it was nice that I got this first taste, and I’ll be a bit better next time because I know what to expect,” he explained.

He credited his teammates for helping him settle his nerves, “What gave me confidence were the guys around me. They prepped me well and kept reminding me through the week, ‘Zach, don’t worry. We’ve got your back. If something goes wrong, it’s a team thing. We’ve got your back.’”

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Assessing his own performance, the Cape-born prop said, “I think I did alright. There were moments I can be proud of and others I need to improve.

“I’m going to go back to the drawing board and learn. I spoke to coach Daan Human. He says we’ve got a couple of things we need to get into.”

With his first cap now behind him, Porthen says he’ll take things “one step at a time” and focus on growing under the guidance of the Bok coaches.

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