Exclusive: Rito Hlungwani Hails Zachary Porthen as Stormers Prop Earns Springbok Debut

It has been a year to remember for Zachary Porthen, the 21-year-old prop who will don the green and gold for the first time when the Springboks face Japan this weekend at Wembley Stadium in London.

Porthen’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable, from captaining the Junior Springboks, to turning out for the UCT Ikeys, earning his stripes with the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship (URC), and now making his Springbok debut on one of rugby’s biggest stages.

Pride at the Stormers

Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani was beaming with pride after hearing that his young front-rower had been called up to the national squad.

“As a coach I was proud when he was called up for the Springboks and even more proud when he was announced to play [on debute for Springboks],” Hlungwani told SportsBoom.co.za. 

“You can’t ask for anything more. When a youngster like him is so keen to learn and improve, and gets recognised so early in his career, you just know he’ll do well for the Springboks."

Scrum Work and Development

Questions once surrounded Porthen’s scrummaging ability during his time with the Junior Boks under coach Bafana Nhleko, but his progress since then has been immense. Having worked with scrum guru Daan Human at national level, and under Hlungwani’s watchful eye in Cape Town, Porthen has transformed into a formidable tighthead.

“He’s lucky, he was gifted with a large rugby body,” Hlungwani said with a smile. 

“He’s a tall tighthead, actually reminds me of a Carl Hayman. Zachary’s worked incredibly hard. He’s explosive, can pass off both hands, has a good tackle technique, and his scrumming has really improved.”

The Stormers forwards coach believes that tough training sessions have been central to Porthen’s improvement.

“At the Stormers, we scrum! When he first joined, he had to pack down against Sti Sithole, Ali Vermaak, and now Nthuthuko Mchunu. Those battles sharpened him. He’s improved technically and physically and his all-round skill set is sharp.”

Set-Piece Excellence

Since Hlungwani’s appointment, the Stormers have built a reputation as one of the most dominant set-piece sides in the URC, a platform that powered them to their inaugural title. That environment, alongside head coach John Dobson, has undoubtedly helped mould Porthen into an international-calibre player.

“Zach will be the first to tell you, iron sharpens iron,” said Hlungwani. 

“Training at the Stormers is intense. Nothing comes easy, and that’s the best environment for a young forward to learn. We want our sessions to be tougher than the games themselves. That’s been a huge part of our success.”

Despite his impact, Hlungwani was quick to deflect praise.

“I won’t take any credit,” he laughed. 

“My job is just to create an environment where players can improve. All the credit must go to them. They’re the ones going home with sore bodies every day.”

As the Springboks prepare to take on Japan, Porthen’s journey stands as a testament to dedication, resilience, and the power of a strong development system. For South African rugby, his debut marks the arrival of yet another bright prospect ready to carry the nation’s legacy forward.