Africa-Press – South-Africa. Given the rugby pedigree of the former Wallabies star as well as the baggage he carries in terms of his religious views, it might not be easy for Sibongile Novuka to be the Bulls’ “Izzy”.
Yet the softy-spoken 25-year-old fullback cum winger is undeniably doing his utmost to deliver glimpses of that brand of magic when he pulls the blue jersey over his head.
Plucked from relative obscurity in the Varsity Shield, where he starred for the UKZN Impi, on the back of a glowing recommendation from former Bulls and Bok winger Akona Ndungane, Novuka has steadily made his mark in a position oozing class and talent at Loftus.
A fortnight ago, he was instrumental in confirming the Bulls’ steady recovery in the Currie Cup with a hat-trick in Durban.
Thrust into service – following a six-month lay-off with a pectoral muscle injury – with several other more fringe options for the franchise’s first ever Champions Cup game – a Loftus affair against Lyon – Novuka opened the scoring by skinning no less than five defenders after throwing an initial dummy.
And then there was THAT soccer-like flick forward for Wandi Simelane’s try against the Lions last month, a sublime piece of skill where he wriggled his way in between two defenders and use his lanky legs to chip the ball around Edwill van der Merwe’s hip to set up the score.
It’s little wonder Lumumba Currie, Novuka’s coach at the University of Fort Hare and Border Academy and this week appointed the Junior Springboks’ assistant, anointed him his nickname.
“It was when I went for Craven Week trails in Grade 11,” said the rising Bulls star, a strapping fellow at 1.92m and 97kg.
“I was playing very well and I was tall. So the coach at the time told me that I was playing like Israel Folau. He gave me the nickname so ever since then I have been ‘Izzy’.”
Novuka freely admits he’s not averse to adopting several role models as inspiration, but there’s one nimble Australian who stands out.
“I used to watch Julian Savea, and Israel Folau as well. But my idol was Quade Cooper, because he was a side-stepper – and I can side-step as well. I wanted to actually play the same brand of rugby as him.”
Boasting brilliant attacking talents alongside him in Springboks Canan Moodie, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Sbu Nkosi.
“It’s very good to have Springboks around you, because you are learning a lot from them. They are always trying to share the information that they get from the Springboks with us, so that we can know what to work on – so that maybe one day, we can be Springboks as well,” said Novuka.
“It’s really exciting, because with players like Kurt-Lee, Canan, Sbu and Lionel Mapoe, it’s very nice to know that you are working with Springboks and learning a lot from them.
“From what I heard in terms of to becoming a Springbok, I have to be very good with high balls, very good in defence, and have an understanding of the game. If I can sharpen up on those things, it will be very easy for me to maybe get picked for the Springboks.
“By the end of this year, I want to be one of the players on the list for the Springboks.”
While his focus on refining his less fashionable skills is indeed laudable, the hope is he can combine it with what is a predatory instinct for the try-line, something Jake White, the Bulls mentor, encourages.
“Coach Jake said to me that I should do what I can do when I’m on the field, so that I won’t feel any pressure. So I’m trying by all means, when I get the ball, to do something, not special, but something that’s good for the team and me as well,” said Novuka.
“There is not a lot of pressure, but with ball-in-hand, I know I have to score as a winger, so that the team can go far.”
The early evidence looks promising.
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