Lions giant Asenathi Ntlabakanye is relishing the chance to don the green and gold jersey of the Springboks.
Proof that rugby is still for all shapes and sizes, the burly prop has become a cult hero at the Johannesburg franchise. Weighing in around 150kg, his girth hides his talents. Ntlabakanye punches below his weight. The St Sithians college graduate has a deft step, soft hands and is sometimes found in the Lions’ backline doing centre things. And if all else fails – given his size – Route 1 often yields positive results.
Such is the brutality of these one-on-one collisions is that Lions fans have dubbed Ntlabakanye the ‘Jozi Bulldozer’.
“My interaction with the fans means a lot to me,” the 25-year-old told the press this week.