Mujati’s tight fit
4 Jun 2008
From Zimbabwean schoolboy to Bok prop – Brian Mujati must be pinching himself.
There’s no disputing that he was the form South African tighthead in the Super 14, although Mujati would disagree that he was so integral to his team. He points to the other seven blokes around him at the Stormers, not to mention the other seven behind the pack and the seven on the bench.
‘Sure, I have improved, but it’s a work in progress,’ he says. He doesn’t quite come out with the ‘aw, shucks’ routine, but he’s not
far off.
Though at 24 he is still very young for a tighthead, Mujati’s path to Stormers’ anchorman has been somewhat zigzag.
There was no stellar but steady rise from prominent South African rugby-playing school via Craven Week to age-group representation. Instead, there was the prominent Zimbabwe rugby-playing school (Peterhouse), Zim Craven Week … and then the lean times.
Mujati left Zimbabwe after matriculating in 2002, determined to make a career out of rugby.
‘It was during Craven Week that I realised I wasn’t too shabby as a player,’ he says. ‘I held my own against some powerful South Africans in the set phases even though as a team we were getting caned. I was lucky going to Peterhouse, though, as it has a long and traditional rugby-playing history. Coaching is still quite established there, so I had a good foundation. But after school …’ his voice trails off. ‘I can’t speak for others, but growing up in Zim you don’t think of playing there. I knew I had to come to SA.’
Mujati duly got to Johannesburg on a student visa and debuted for the Lions U21s. He played a few Vodacom Cup games, then a couple in the Currie Cup. Last year he graduated to the Super 14 side following a spate of injuries, and he played the entire season. He had been given a gap and he grabbed it. It should have been a dream year careerwise, but it ended in acrimony when he was accused of jumping ship during the Currie Cup. He disputes this, saying his student visa had expired, which made his contract null and void. The resentment from Ellis Park still simmers, however, and there was much talk at the beginning of the season of lawyers and courts.
His signing with the Stormers this year only increased the rumblings from Gauteng. ‘Look, I didn’t feel valued at the Lions,’ he says. ‘There wasn’t any major blowout – more like a series of little incidents. Nothing racial, if that’s what people are thinking. I just didn’t fit into their set-up, that’s all.’
He has very much fitted into the set-up in the Mother City. ‘I like Cape Town. I like the people and the lifestyle. I like the Stormers’ organisation and I like Rassie [Erasmus, the head coach]. I like the way he coaches. He’s very chilled.’
Tighthead is renowned as the most demanding position in rugby, but Mujati seems to have taken to it like a natural.
‘I’ve been lucky that I’ve only played prop my whole life,’ he says. ‘A lot of guys started out playing flank or hooker and then moved to prop, but for me it was only about tighthead. From the first I’ve loved the grunt and groan of the position. The scrumming, the mauling, the one-on-one with the opposition loosehead – that’s what gets me going. No-one sees that in the crowd, but I dig it.’
South African rugby digs it too.
By Patrick Farrell
This article first appeared in the June issue of SA Rugby magazine.
571 Comments
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4 Jun 2008, 10:29 am
Zim Dragon
4 Jun 2008, 10:33 am
Puff the magic and drag on!
4 Jun 2008, 10:34 am
What a stunning piece of Stormers/Cape Town propaganda, with the mandatory jealousy-driven dig at Gauteng.
Move over Pravda, here comes keo.co.za.
4 Jun 2008, 10:35 am
He was not the South African form tight head in the S14.
He should be carrying the water bottles for BJ Botha.
4 Jun 2008, 10:35 am
# pauld:
Wat was die naam van daai swart voorryman van die Engelse, Steve Obogo of soiets?
Ek dink hy hou die Engelse rekord ook vir die meeste toetse as voorry.
Vanaf Kenia gewees, as ek reg onthou.
Nou hierdie Mujati en ‘Beast’ is in dieselfde klas, dink ek.
Hulle kan nog lank vir die Bokke speel.
4 Jun 2008, 10:39 am
I reckon Beast has earned the chance to start ahead of mujati although he plays loosehead. Tighthead is the most important of the props. But saying that they can both play together and they will stand their ground.
4 Jun 2008, 10:39 am
Ahh jeez joe, give it a break. Why would anyone be jealous of friggin Gauteng ffs??
4 Jun 2008, 10:40 am
#7 whatever:
Janee wragtag, wie wil in Gauteng bly as jy in die Kaap kan wees!
4 Jun 2008, 10:44 am
#5 Pietman: Victor Ubogo. Die agsteman was Steve Ojomo
4 Jun 2008, 10:45 am
#4 tight head: Nonsense. Mujati and Beast were the form players
4 Jun 2008, 10:47 am
#4 tight head: BJ”Spill the ball in the contact situation”Botha, are you having a laugh
4 Jun 2008, 10:47 am
#4 tight head: this based oooon?
4 Jun 2008, 10:48 am
#3 Joe Maher: lol, i doubt anyone’s jealous of gauteng mate
4 Jun 2008, 10:49 am
#7 whatever: Pretty strange comment indeed… jealous of the Lions??? Whatever!!
#6 THE MAULER: Agree with you here, I can’t imagine that we wont be seeing this pretty soon and I would be very proud to see it too. Still like the prospect of the entire stadium shouting BEAST….
4 Jun 2008, 10:51 am
#8 Pietman:
stem saam! wie wil nou heeldag ****: “pappa, pappa, wanneer gaan ons weer see toe?”
4 Jun 2008, 10:51 am
#5 Pietman: Engelse rekord vir vorry was Jason Leonard. Ek dink iets soos 119 toetse
4 Jun 2008, 10:51 am
#6 THE MAULER:
Why does everybody want to rush into playing our second choice young props with no experience, when we have experienced international first choice props?
Props need experience and get better with age.
We should have a settled front row of Guthro, Smit and BJ playing many internationals together, with the next generation coming up underneath them.
4 Jun 2008, 10:52 am
#17 pauld: 114 toetse vir Engeland en 5 vir die Leeus. Meeste toetse ooit vir n voorry
4 Jun 2008, 10:53 am
I think PvD is just trying ole brian scrum cap. The beast is great and BJ. I think we’re very blessed to have some powerful props that are mobile. This is the way to go. Keep an eye on the ELV’s, and what how the game changes. The Wallabies are in K@K again, cause they’ve invested in beef/fat farms and how the game is changing to strong/mobile props…poor sheep shaggers can never win — muhahaha
4 Jun 2008, 10:53 am
#18 tight head: Problem is that you never get a full season out of GS and BJ. Very injury prone.
4 Jun 2008, 10:55 am
#20 pauld: Yes if your season is defined as reaching finals, they play for teams who crash out before, so they never have to worry about playing a full season
4 Jun 2008, 10:56 am
#20 pauld:
Very true.
4 Jun 2008, 10:56 am
About Brian:
Tale of Two Rugby Players
‘Tienie’ Martin’s Great Grandfather Marthinus Martin arrived in the Eastern
Highlands of what was then Southern Rhodesia in October of 1894. Having led
104 settlers on a harrowing journey north from South Africa the new arrivals
set about hacking a livelihood out of a largely deserted wilderness and
helped pioneer commercial farming in the new country.
His grandson Marthinus (ii) farmed on and became one of Rhodesia’s top
tobacco producers. ‘Tienie’ (Marthinus iii) grew up on Tiny Farm in
Inyazura. Youngest of three brothers with two sisters the Martins were a
pivotal family in the community with Marthinus (ii) widely respected by all,
a patriarchal figure filling the role of informal, ‘elder statesman’
Excelling at sport ‘Tienie’ shunned academia, much to the annoyance of his
father who gave him one shot at university and meant it. ‘Tienie’ was soon
back on the ‘plaas’ after a brief, fun-filled, but academically unrewarding
sojourn at ‘Tukkies’ where he represented Northern Transvaal and SA
Universities at athletics.
But back in Rhodesia he was quickly noticed on the rugby field by the
national selectors and earned his first national cap in 1966. By 1968 he was
in line for Springbok honours when injury struck and he was ruled out of the
South African tour of France.
In 1969 the British Barbarians, asked to choose the best fly-half they
encountered on their southern Africa tour were unequivocal in their rating
of him above Springbok Piet Visagie. Later that year there was criticism in
the SA press when Martin was overlooked in favour of Mike Lawless. He was
however chosen for the SA Gazelles and Springbok trials and also represented
the SA ’B’. By 1971 his competitive career, marred by injury, was over but
‘Tienie’ Martin had staked a claim for recognition as one of Rhodesia’s
greatest fly-halves. In the popularity stakes, with his good looks, charm
and sense of humour Rhodesian rugby lost one it’s most charismatic players.
Married to Charlotte in 1971 ‘Tienie’s father died in 1974 and he took over
the farm acquiring a reputation, in his own right, similar to his fathers;
liked and respected across the racial divide by all and a first-class
farmer. “I don’t think ‘Tienie’ Martin has an enemy in the world,” says
former fellow-farmer and friend, ‘Lochie’ Slabbert, “he is just one of the
nicest people I have ever known”.
But everything changed just after 1 o’clock on Monday 8th December of 2003
when ‘occupiers’ burst through the farm gates and told ‘Tienie’s daughter
Shelly that they were taking ‘Tiny Farm’ and wanted to see her father .
Hearing of the crisis nearby a neighbour phoned ‘Tienie’ who was in Harare
at the time. He hastened back that afternoon to meet a large man accompanied
by 12 youths in a belligerent mood. The man introduced himself as Joseph
Mujati, handed Martin a letter and informed him that he was taking over the
farm immediately.
Martin looked at the letter and noted that that it was for the acquisition
of the adjacent property known as ‘Tiny Extension’ not ‘Tiny Farm’. He
pointed out this fact to Mujati who said it was irrelevant and that the
letter could be changed in two minutes to read ‘Tiny farm’. He was adamant
he wanted Tiny Farm and the Martin family home for 80 years. He told Martin
to start packing immediately and to get off the property.
“I insisted he was acting illegally,” remembers Martin. “I phoned the police
in Nyazura who arrived to tell me I would not be subjected to any violence
but that I had to pack and leave in the morning.
“Crack of dawn my wife Charlotte, my daughter Shelly and myself started
packing. Our situation was made worse by the verbal abuse we were subjected
to while trying to pack in the presence of two policemen.. This carried on
all the time but they could not wait for us to leave and the looting of the
house started while we were still there. Not even my golf clubs were spared.
100m away my eldest daughter Shayne was also being harassed and verbally
abused while trying to pack up her home. One policeman mentioned that he
could not believe his eyes. He was standing witness to a crime and forbidden
to do anything.
“We left that afternoon at 4:30pm with three vehicles and our furniture
thanks to friends and neighbours who sent transport to assist us without us
having to ask. We will be forever grateful. They were fantastic. I reminded
myself that we were lucky we had not been beaten or murdered like so many
others. My crops, livestock, tractors and workshop equipment was all left
behind. In a few hours we had lost everything. Three generations had worked
hard to build what was taken in a day.
“On the night of 12 December 2003, one of my workers who had been with me
for 12 years was called by Mujati and accused of being a ‘sell out’. He was
beaten, tied up in a net and dumped into the swimming pool. He was lucky to
survive. Another one of my workers who was looking after my cattle was
subjected to threats and had to flee. He later returned to carry on with
his work.
“The next day, a Saturday I went to the farm with the police but
was not allowed into the yard and not allowed to speak to any of my workers.
I was very worried about them and anxious to find out if they were alright
but forbidden to do so. Mujati told me that he was now also the owner of my
crops, and said he would pay for all of them as well as my equipment (to
this day 4 years on I have not received a cent and have lost millions of
Rands). I had paprika, maize and tobacco almost ready to be reaped. He told
me my workers were to stop working and that I should pay them their
gratuities as he would then take them over, and that our domestic staff were
to leave the farm.
“I was told by Mujati in the presence of a police Superintendent that none
of my tractors and equipment would be used by him or moved off the farm.
Soon after I left the tractors were sent out to work.
“After having meetings with the Governor of Manicaland I was told I could
finish my crops, but was never allowed to do so. Then I had a call from
Mujati telling me to get my cattle off the farm but I refused as I had no
where to put them. He then ordered the cattle to be left in the pens with
no water or food. A few days later I managed to get Mrs Harrison of the SPCA
to visit the farm to try to save the cattle and she reported back that they
were being looked after by my workers in spite of Mujati’s instructions.
“On Tuesday (13th Jan) I obtained another High Court Order instructing me to
return to my house and farm and remain there until all my crops had been
reaped. After the case I agreed to meet Mujati at the farm on the Friday,
but he did not appear.
“The next day a truckload of thugs arrived at the house I was temporarily
staying at, warning me against meeting Mujati. They warned me not to go to
the farm as I would be ‘dealt with’ and the house I was staying in would be
burnt to the ground. The home did not belong to me. It belonged to very
good friends of mine who were kind enough to let us stay there in the
interim. The mob also told me that the police had nothing to do with this
matter.”
‘Tienie’ and Charlotte have not been back to their farm or home and live
with little more than memories in a small rented town-house in Harare.
The homestead, so recently a study in rural refinement and elegance that
radiated warmth and good cheer is dank and dark. The garden that once
bloomed in a riot of colour, a testament to the life of ‘Tienie’s mother
‘Miemps’ and then Charlotte who tended it with passion and care, is now a
mass of miserable weeds. The farm that pulsed with productive endeavour is
derelict, and the buildings are broken. ‘Tiny Farm’ is sliding swiftly back
into the state it was in when ‘Tienie’s forebears arrived over eighty years
ago.
But there is a sad twist in the tail of this sad saga. ‘Tiny Farm’ home of
Joseph Mujati, looks set to do what Marthinus Martin failed to do; produce a
rugby Springbok. Brian Mujati is an odds-on favourite to play against Wales
next month.
4 Jun 2008, 10:56 am
#22 JL1: Quality
4 Jun 2008, 10:57 am
#24 Muck: That article has been posted ad nauseum in the last few days. It’s all nonsense
4 Jun 2008, 10:57 am
#23 Muck: not this kuk again
4 Jun 2008, 10:59 am
article in 23 is bollocks..no relation to brian and only character defaming. As pauld says we saw enough of it yesterday
4 Jun 2008, 11:00 am
boy do we have a riches of props though, quality props too…good times for SA rugby
4 Jun 2008, 11:01 am
Hey maybe I missed it but I would like a story on the Emerging Boks, I do not know 89% of those players, who are they?can they play rugby?
Backs: Justin St Jerry (Golden Lions), Sarel Pretorius (Griquas), Isma-eel Dollie (Western Province), Rocco Jansen (Blue Bulls), Morgan Newman (Western Province), Howard Noble (Free State Cheetahs), Bjorn Basson (Griquas), Joey Mongalo (Blue Bulls), Lollo Waka (Leopards), Rudi Vogt (Pumas), Jody Rose (Golden Lions), Richard Lawson (Western Province).
Forwards: Janro van Niekerk (Cavaliers), Greg van Jaarsveld (Bulldogs), Phillip Lemmer (Free State Cheetahs), Kobus Grobler (Golden Lions), Hendrik Roodt (Blue Bulls), Zolani Mofu (Cavaliers), Hilton Lobberts (Blue Bulls), Devon Raubenheimer (SWD Eagles), Jody Jenneker (Natal Wildebeest), Sangoni Mxoli (Blue Bulls), Jacobie Adriaanse (Western Province), Berend Botha (Blue Bulls), Carel Hoffman (Blue Bulls), Robert Kruger (Leopards).
4 Jun 2008, 11:07 am
The ignorance here about front row play is amazing.
Experience is a hugely valuable commodity in international props.
If you do not understand that BJ Botha is the best scrummaging tight head that we have, then it is not worth explaining it to you.
The job of your tight head is to be a destructive scrummager that denies the opposition good, front foot ball on their scrum put in.
If he cannot do that first and foremost, then nothing else he does matters.
BJ Botha is light years ahead of any other tight head in SA.
It seems to me that bloggers here think it is okay for props to be still learning and just able to hold their own in the scrums, as long as they can make 10 metres with the ball in their hand.
Props are specialists who have to be the best at their job of scrumming firstly and most importantly.
Unless you want hookers to run around in the backline and centres to spend all day in the loose!!
4 Jun 2008, 11:08 am
#31 tight head: The sad thing is that you seem to think that you are the only person who knows anything about front row play or rugby for that matter. Who died and made you the king of 1-3 ?
4 Jun 2008, 11:09 am
I think its great that Mujati and Beast are in the squad but it does make me very nervous that we cannot produce props anymore.
4 Jun 2008, 11:09 am
Take a look at the chosen language of Patrick’s piece, whatever and Pietman.
Even Blind Freddie can see that it’s riddled with anti-Gauteng stuff, highly emotive – and probably wholly inaccurate – phrases like “simmering resentment”. Poor old Patrick has probably never been to Gauteng, never been beyond the Hex River Mountains and, like so many who eagerly trash it, has little or no idea about the place or its special characteristics.
Gauteng has its challenges, yes, but when poorly informed people like whatever to say “why would anyone be jealous of frigging Gauteng ffs”, they show just how myopic they are.
Well, for starters, whatever, the people of Gauteng are generally very friendly and warm. They’re also wecoming – have to be as Jo’burg, as the business capital of South Africa, has long been a magnet, drawing people from around the country, across the continent and from all corners of the globe.
Jo’burg has a climate far superior to the **** the Cape dishes up each year, it’s summer thunderstorms are infinitely more spectacular than some pile of flat-topped rock, its suburbs vastly more attractive than the endless nondescript residential areas the spread out across much of inland Cape Town.
You see, when you’re a truly international city, you are free of the cliques so synonymous with the Cape, from its stifling insularity and parochialism.
All this “hell, isn’t Cape Town paradise, aren’t you just thrilled to be here” nonsense reminds me of the old apartheid days when any poor international sod (the SABC called them ‘international stars’) who visited South Africa to perform was greeted at the airport with a “So how do you like South Africa?” from some sycophant like Freek Robinson.
If he/she said, “it’s a pile of donkey ****”, he/she never featured on the news. But if he/she said “Maaan, it’s fantastic”, they got top billing.
I remember, as a kid, cringing at the insecurties of my compatriots, at the insatiable desire they had for others to stroke their egos, to speak warmly, reassuringly and kindly about their place.
Cape Town is the new ‘old South Africa’, keo.co.za the new Freek.
Enjoy it, guys.
4 Jun 2008, 11:10 am
#34 Joe Maher: Get your boot off your scrotum and get a life Joe.
4 Jun 2008, 11:12 am
#30 tight head: OK, and you need some fire power behind you, BJ has always been weak when Albert scrums behind him.He is also reliant on the flanker to support him from the side, who will this be?
I have not seen BJ provide a good right shoulder in any test match that he has played.
I will give it to you about age. Our best props are now older and playing in other countries: Cobus Visagie, Daan Human, Faan Rautenbach even Pietie de Villiers were the best the last couple of years
4 Jun 2008, 11:12 am
A good strong scrumming tight head is invaluable. Look at Carl Hayman for example. That said, I think Mujati is a good prop and can only benefit from packing down with Smit as opposed to Brits. He should go even better than in the Stormers scrum, he is good in the tight loose too. He deserves a crack, certainly before the Tri-Nations. We know what we have in BJ and CJ.
4 Jun 2008, 11:12 am
#30 tight head: boet I’ve been playing rugga since I was a twig..I know what the job of a tighthead is. I’m sure most bloggers do as well. No one said BJ was kak (well I certainly didn’t) but fact is that front rowers are not only injury prone, but also predominantly not 80 minute players. is there anything wrong with SARugby developing its depth at tighthead and loosehead so that old Barney smit doesnt have to always change to prop after 60 minutes? No one said BJ is being thrown to the dogs, but we need to nurture our talent and that’s what is being done
4 Jun 2008, 11:12 am
Onthou om nie te vergeet om op te sign vir die Superbru Currie Cup nie.
Pool Name: Keo Muppets Battle
Pool Code: barndial
4 Jun 2008, 11:13 am
#31 pauld:
Instead of getting personal, try and talk some sense and give me good, logical, technical reasons why I am wrong.
4 Jun 2008, 11:13 am
#28 flanka:
Pity they dont stand out against other teams!
4 Jun 2008, 11:14 am
#37 flanka:
The article said that Mujati was the form SA tight head in the S14.
I am saying that is rubbish.
BJ Botha was.
That is all.
4 Jun 2008, 11:16 am
Heinke van der Merwe is by far the best loosehead in S.A. and one of the best in the world currently and on top of that he is only 22 or 23 years old. I can’t believe that he never made the final squad.
He will no doubt improve and become stronger and ultimately emerge as one of the best of all time in years to come. I believe he will rival even the great “Os”.
Brian is good, there is no doubtling it but whether he is currently the best at tighthead is debatable.
We currently blessed with quite a few very good tighthead in the country at the moment. BJ, CJ, Jannie Du Plessis, Werner Kruger and Brian Mujati would all make other counties very envious.
4 Jun 2008, 11:16 am
#30 tight head:
“The ignorance here about front row play is amazing.”
come-on, for most of us the front row still remain a dark secret! jeez, i played lock, and i STILL dont have a full grasp of the guys’ technique etc who played just in front of me! i believe the only guys that will have a full appreciation for whats happening in the front row, are guys who have actually played there!
4 Jun 2008, 11:17 am
#33 Joe Maher: Relax bro, I’m sure most people were referring to Lions and not gauteng as a province. And rightly so…I mean you should be able to acknowledge when your team is a struggling franchise. I live on and off in Brisbane and they are under no illusions about the Reds….I doubt the article was anti-gauteng but the reality is Mujati didn’t like it there and nothing you say can change that fact. He had his qualms with Lions and now hes a stormer and happy, and if that makes your franchise seem like the devil, then in this instance accept it.
4 Jun 2008, 11:17 am
#41 tight head: Maybe in 2007 and not in 2008
4 Jun 2008, 11:19 am
#40 tight head: Not getting personal. Just saying that I am getting tired of you spouting on about the same nonsense day in and day out. Personally I don’t think BJ is world class. Never has been never will be. Have never really seen him work any opposing prop over unless of course it’s against the upper eastern highlands of guam or guatemala. I think it was you who said the other day that the Italians are going to give us a run for our money and we should take the game lightly because they currently have the best frontrow in the world. I would only believe that if it was quoted on the back of Chappies wrappers. There is no doubt that Beast and mujati were the form props this season so far. Amazing how form is ignored as soon as a personal favourite isn’t selected. Out goes all the talk of merit. Exactly the case where Watson is concerned as well. He has a great season and gets even more stick for it. If Jake had selected Watson regularly would we even be having this debate ? I think not !
4 Jun 2008, 11:19 am
#4 tight head: please man, i’ve neva rated bj.. personally i think it should be CJ, Mujati & then BJ
4 Jun 2008, 11:20 am
Did Mujati matriculate or did he pass his A levels.
I thought matriculating is used when someone has passed their Matric exams. Mujati did not sit any Matric exams. A levels if I am correct is one more year than that of Matric.
4 Jun 2008, 11:21 am
#40 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: most of them are young and in the same generation (22-24). They can only get better with age. Im not sure you’re in a very good position to comment though, what with Dunning being the pillar of the wallaby scrum! (just having a dig mate)
4 Jun 2008, 11:21 am
Who is BJ? I thought that was an abbreviation for a sexual act!
When did BJ’s become tightheads?
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