Get to Know: Sakoyisa Makata

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Springbok Sevens forward Sakoyisa Makata fields a couple of quick questions from SA Rugby magazine’s DEVIN HERMANUS.

How much will Neil Powell be missed as head coach of the Blitzboks?
Coach Neil is a genius. Not a lot of people get to see him behind the scenes so it’s going to be a big loss. Being who he is, he’s left a great foundation for whoever is going to step into that role. He’s helped me grow as a person and been a positive influence. His faith has also had an impact on him.

And his influence on your development?
When I came into the system, my skills weren’t as great as I thought and being the analytical coach that he is, he picked up that I could do better. He’s a strong believer in work ethic and that energy has rubbed off on to me. Coach Neil has this philosophy that ‘better people make better players’, so he imparts life lessons and wisdom and through that I’ve become better.

Who have you modelled your game on?
In sevens, I’ve just tried to find my own feet and character because there, everyone’s different. But as a fifteens player, I looked to guys like Manu Tuilagi, Rene Ranger, Julian Savea, Bryan Habana, for their physicality. I pride myself on being physical and they’re hard-hitters, run hard, have a good step and are skilful, and how they carry themselves is something I was drawn to. I’ve watched clips of them off the field and they seem like great guys.

What’s your favourite city to visit on the sevens circuit?
I like Vancouver, it’s a beautiful place. The people, the infrastructure, the weather – it’s cold and not ideal for rugby but when in your hotel room, nice and warm, you get a sense of nostalgia and I like that. I also enjoy Singapore.

Which Proteas cricketer would be the better rugby player: Temba Bavuma or Kagiso Rabada?
Kagiso Rabada. He’s an athlete and looks like he would be good at sevens. Could put him in the backline or the forwards and he would fulfill both roles well. His pace is an added benefit.

PlayStation or Xbox?
Has to be PlayStation, anyone playing Xbox needs to be saved! PS has better games and feels more natural. I switched to Xbox from PS2 and it didn’t feel right, so I went back and life’s been sweet ever since.

Are you a neat freak?
I can get messy but I like to have my things organised and when it is untidy, I like to see it as an organised mess.

What’s the most irritating song you can’t stop singing?
Aah, I was actually singing it the other day and forgot about it! ‘Baby Shark’ gets me quite a lot. And now it’s playing in my head!

Did you struggle passing your learner’s and driver’s licence tests?
I passed my learner’s on my first go – I got 100%. But I failed my driver’s my first time. I went in stressing over the incline part of the test and, ironically, once I got over that, I wasn’t paying attention to parallel parking and hit a pole, which is an automatic fail. I had an opportunity to get away with it because the examiner didn’t notice, but being an honest person is tough and I chose to be a law-abiding citizen.

Which Blitzboks teammate could be a fashion model?
Has to be Angelo Davids, he’s got a lot of what the kids these days call ‘drip’. Branco du Preez has also got some good fashion taste.

What do you enjoy doing during breaks between tournaments?
I like to drive to a nice spot and read a book with some snacks next to me. I play a lot of PlayStation but nothing sport related; I like to detach from sport off the field. And I’ll watch anime, I’m very big on anime.

Your most memorable experience from school rugby?
Being captain of Stirling High and playing against Grey Bloem; we actually got quite a beating – I think the score was 99-7. My school isn’t known for rugby so being able to play against the top boys and score the five-pointer gave me a lot of confidence and hope that maybe there was a future for me in professional rugby.

What do you want to achieve as a pro?
I want to enjoy the game and learn from it as much as possible. I’ve also seen rugby mould men and women and make them great people. The goal is to be successful and become a Springbok, but I want to be in a position to help those who are underprivileged. I was fortunate to have someone put a hand out and help me realise my dream and I hope to do the same.

Photo: @Blitzboks/Twitter

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Devin Hermanus