The rugby gods have a wicked sense of humour. Three months after Scarra Ntubeni waved goodbye in what seemed his final Stormers appearance against Connacht, the veteran hooker has been handed one last dance. Retirement has been tackled into touch. The old warhorse has saddled up again.
When the DHL Stormers XXIII launch their historic first Carling Currie Cup campaign against defending champions Suzuki Griquas at DHL Stadium on Friday night, Ntubeni’s name on the bench is far more than a selection. It is a statement that experience still carries serious currency when trophies are on the table.
The 35-year-old Springbok, who played 105 matches for the Stormers and 77 Currie Cup games for Western Province, knows every inch of the battlefield. He helped the famous blue-and-white hoops lift their record 33rd Currie Cup title in 2012 and now returns to help guide a fresh generation chasing its own chapter in Cape rugby folklore.
Head coach Tom Dawson-Squibb admitted the comeback happened sooner than anticipated after injuries depleted his hooking stocks.
“We’ve got some good young hookers in the club: Vernon Paolo, Luca Bakkes and ‘Bupa’ [Lukhanyo] Vokozela. Unfortunately, Bupa and Luca have been ruled out for the competition before we even got going. It was always in the back of our minds that Scarra was a call away. It happened a little bit quicker,” explained Dawson-Squibb.
“It’s a tribute to the guy as a human being that he’s come back. He’s been unbelievable in the meetings, he’s been training hard, he’s lending his experience … I said to him today, what a great way to go out in your career with an opportunity to win a trophy.”
His return has already stretched far beyond throwing into line-outs.
“He’s been unbelievable in the meetings. He’s been training hard and sharing his experience. I said to him today, what a great way to go out in your career with an opportunity to win a trophy. It wasn’t necessarily part of the plan, but he was always there. I’m so excited to work with him again. He’s such a good Province Stormers man.”
Those words reveal the real value of Ntubeni. Rugby measures metres gained, tackles made and line-outs won. Leadership cannot be captured on a statistics sheet. It echoes in meeting rooms, training sessions and nervous dressing rooms where young players search seasoned faces for reassurance.
That guidance could prove priceless for six players preparing for their first taste of Currie Cup rugby. Fullback Dylan Miller, wing Mfundo Ndhlovu, lock Tom Barnard, loose forwards Wandile Mlaba and Xola Nyali, together with utility back Dominic Malgas, all begin a journey that Ntubeni has travelled for well over a decade.
Captain Jean-Luc du Plessis understands the value of those grey hairs.
The son of Western Province legend Carel du Plessis now carries a famous family torch into a new era after overcoming repeated injury setbacks that could easily have broken lesser men.
“Injuries have played a role in my career, but that’s part of the game. It’s how you come back from setbacks, your mentality. That’s definitely something that I want to lead with from the front. Hard work, determination and competitiveness. This team has a lot of that and we’re excited to show it.”
Du Plessis believes leadership is shared across the squad.
“Scarra, Oli Kebble, Gerbrandt Grobler, Steph and Cornel Smit all help. We have a very strong leadership group. Everybody fulfils their role. It’s always good to have some old heads around.”
Griquas will arrive carrying the swagger of champions, armed with a bruising maul and enough physicality to rattle any side.
Dawson-Squibb welcomes the challenge.
“We’re happy to be the underdogs. We know they’ll be massively physical and they’ll maul a lot. We’ve worked hard for four weeks and we’re excited to show what we can do.”
Friday night marks the birth of a new Stormers XXIII. Fittingly, one of its loudest heartbeats belongs to a player many believed had already taken his final bow. Like a veteran prop refusing to retreat from one last scrum, Scarra Ntubeni has packed down for one more fight.
