Neither did Elton Jantjies, but that’s a story for another day.
The Poms managed to save some face in the third and final test at a rainy Newlands over the weekend, but spare a thought for our Impi warriors.
Charging out ahead of the anthems to rev up the crowd, the warriors soon found out exactly why the players wear boots with studs.
I count four separate incidents of coming short on the wet grass:
What a start to the test match. Impi falling all over the place. #SAvENG #Springboks #Boks #Bokke #SSRugby pic.twitter.com/5lzlEBJjth
— Iavan Pijoos (@iavanpijoos) June 23, 2018
That last slip was actually quite worrying, considering that he had just leapt into the air with a sharp spear in his hand.
The main warrior, who was the first out of the tunnel (and first on his backside), is 26-year-old Joshua Nkosi, who is actually a dentist.
Here’s more about him via IOL:
After graduating from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2014, Nkosi opened his dental practice in Johannesburg. He has also taken the title of World Champion and Mr Universe in bodybuilding and it is the combination of bodybuilding and rugby that gets him to tick…
“People asked why I wanted to be ‘Impi’ when I have a successful practice, but it’s not about money.
“I played rugby at university. The university was so supportive, I was given a scholarship through my bodybuilding.
“I have a passion for rugby, so this role allows me to combine my two passions and do something for my country,” said Nkosi…
Nkosi summons up the ferocity needed to rattle rivals in the changing room. “You have to prepare yourself. I check out the atmosphere and attendance of the crowd, then I listen to the Impi track. I do some push-ups to pump myself up. It’s not about me, but South Africa,” he said.
Some might say our Impi warriors coming up short before kickoff was an omen of sorts…
