Sbu Nkosi insists that he is not thinking about where he stands in terms of his place with the Springboks as he focuses on recovering from the ankle injury that brought his season to an early end.
Nkosi this week sealed a move to the Vodacom Bulls from the Sharks and, on his unveiling on Thursday, stated that he had his eyes firmly set on making a fresh start in Pretoria.
The 26-year-old is currently recovering from an ankle injury he suffered just after returning from a bout of illness which had sidelined him for most of the year.
Nkosi has started just six of the Sharks’ 17 games in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this season, scoring one try, with him slipping down the national rankings as the likes of Aphlelele Fassi, Seabelo Senatla and Kurt-Lee Arendse caught the eye with spectacular performances.
During his first media conference as a Bulls player, Nkosi was asked about how he felt about his Springbok prospects, with the 2023 World Cup on the horizon.
“I can only take it a day at a time. This is where I am and who I am right now,” he answered.
“I’m also injured, so to get to a place where I’m thinking about potential selection for the national team I need to be fit and ready to play. That’s my priority. That’s where my thoughts are currently.
“When I get into the proverbial ring again and start boxing, then I can only start answering the question again where I stand in terms of the Springboks.”
NKOSI: Joining Jake a ‘big motivator’
Nkosi added that he is doing his best to reach smaller targets as he looks to come back stronger from his injury.
“There’s pressure every day. If you don’t put it on yourself, you won’t feel the pressure that’s coming from everywhere else,” he said.
“So, I put pressure on myself to get better as soon as possible so that I can compete for all these positions I want to.”
Photo: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
