Sanele Nohamba wins plaudits with stand out performance at Springbok Showdown

Sanele Nohamba was the big winner at the Springboks showdown at the weekend, after his standout performance earned praise from all many, including captain Siya Kolisi.

The 21-year-old Sharks scrumhalf showcased his talents and was part of the winning team, Team Green, at the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown on Saturday at Newlands, Cape Town. Team Green beat Team Gold by 25-9.

According to Springbok Gold coach Deon Davids, the game was to showcase talent, build experience and share information between senior and junior players.

Nohamba, who wore the number nine jersey, was the talk of social media after he impressed the country.

TimesLIVE reported that Kolisi said he liked that Nohamba was not scared to take control.

“He was really good,” Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said. “He’s got lots of energy and one thing I like about him is that he’s not scared to chat and take control. Before we went onto the field‚ I told him I did not want to see him go quiet when it mattered the most.”

Kolisi said he would have liked to see Nohamba given more of a platform to showcase his skills.

“He was confident and enjoyed himself. He’s quick. He lets the ball go and it would’ve been nice to see how he went if we got into the 22m area more often. He gives the ball nicely to the forwards and gets it quickly out of the breakdown,” said Kolisi.

“I’m sure we’ll see more of him in the domestic tournament where I think he’ll stick out a lot more and be one of the leaders at the Sharks. I’m looking forward to seeing him and the young guys.”

During a post-match interview, Nohamba said the experience was “unreal” and he was grateful to rub shoulders with experienced senior players.

“I was really comfortable playing around them and they made things easier for me. The whole squad, as a group, made everything easier for everyone,” he said.

On social media, many praised him for the confidence he displayed.

Here's a glimpse of the love the star received: