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, 11:22 am
As I said, pauld, enjoy it.
4 Jun 2008, 11:22 am
#43 asha1:
Please tell that to JLI.
I am not trying to be a know all.
However I speak from experience, and can tell when somebody does not know what they are talking about, when it comes to the front row.
If some people here want me to bore them with a long winded technical explanation of the reasons why BJ Botha is our best, then I can do that.
However I will just be further accused of trying to be a know all.
I am trying to be constructive.
4 Jun 2008, 11:22 am
I agree with the article,think Mujati and the beast were the inform props pf the comp looking forward to seeing them bending there international opposition.We are going to have a powerful as well as mobile pack.
4 Jun 2008, 11:22 am
Big and strong and still young , still alot to learn but i am sure he will become a good player in the next few years. Oh and he’s in the cape , province that will take the CC for the first time in a long time.
eish
4 Jun 2008, 11:23 am
#49 flanka:
so was I.
I call Matt Dunning ‘The Hedge’ – looks big and bulky but you can run straight through him.
4 Jun 2008, 11:24 am
#52 Joe Maher: The Gauteng people seem to enjoy the Cape as well. If you look at the numbers that have relocated there in recent years. Why is that ?
4 Jun 2008, 11:24 am
#52 tight head: I am a prop and still playing
4 Jun 2008, 11:25 am
#17 tight head:
And when exactly are th youngsters supposed to get international experience if not against a weak Wales team? that being said, Mujati had a better Super 14 than BJ “Butterfingers” Botha. Get over it.
4 Jun 2008, 11:26 am
#46 pauld: LOL..chappies wrappers. ja it’s human nature for people to have their favourites and rate them no matter how bad their form has been. And I accept that 9 times out of 10. But BJ??…not worth putting on a pedestal mate, and with the ELV’s im afraid you gotta have to do a lot more than putting your team on the frontfoot.
4 Jun 2008, 11:27 am
#59 flanka: Yes I agree
As far as I am concerned BJ got a lucky break when were all but out of props
Jake had Cobus on standby and then also Faan Rautenbach
4 Jun 2008, 11:28 am
#46 pauld:
The Italians are now bringing their third choice front row, so they will now offer no resistance.
Their first choice tight head is the best in the world.
His name is Castrogiavanni and he plays for Leicester.
I am wasting my time telling you that BJ Botha is the best tight head we have, so I suggest you go and ask people who are more qualified than you about this subject to give you an answer.
Ask the loose heads who played in the S14.
4 Jun 2008, 11:29 am
I see it is going to be one of ‘those’ threads…the people who thing BJ is better than Brian are all racists or ‘those ****** Bulls/Sharks fans’ – with a twist of Cape Town is the Best/Cape Town sucks **** bullshit.
I am tired of it.
If anyone has a constructive argument, wake me up.
4 Jun 2008, 11:30 am
#62 tight head: Well why not dazzle us with your BJ/Frontrow prowess and knowledge. I will strap myself in so long. This explanation had better be good.
4 Jun 2008, 11:30 am
#57 JL1:
Loose head or tight head?
4 Jun 2008, 11:31 am
#62 Kerneels:
A BJ is definitely better than Brian….what is a Brian?
4 Jun 2008, 11:32 am
#66 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: Ja you would probably know Wallabie. Am sure you have dished out many of them.
4 Jun 2008, 11:32 am
#33 Grow up dude!
4 Jun 2008, 11:33 am
#52 tight head:
ag, rather leave it at that, no-one likes a know-all!
anyway, i’ve read this somewhere:
“if you want to convince some-one of your point of view, first convince him that you’re his true friend”
try it, it works!
4 Jun 2008, 11:33 am
#57 JL1:
For which Theatre?
Is Phantom of the Opera in RSA already?
4 Jun 2008, 11:34 am
BJ Botha was murdered last year by Sheridan……..
4 Jun 2008, 11:34 am
#61 tight head: I see….so every forward in Super rugby knows it, you know it, the secret society of tightheads knows it…but only Peter DeVilliers is out of the loop.
4 Jun 2008, 11:35 am
#69 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: Corny as hell Wallabie but worth a good chuckle.
4 Jun 2008, 11:36 am
#59 flanka:
I agree and even for an eigthman they have to be doing more than putting their head between two bum cheeks.
4 Jun 2008, 11:36 am
#63 pauld:
Could not be bothered Pauld.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, so we will all just go round and round.
This Cape Town thing has got so out of hand that you would swear that the Stormers pack scrummed every S14 team into oblivion.
Saders, Blues and Sharks were unmatched at scrumming this S14.
4 Jun 2008, 11:36 am
#64 tight head: Started off as tight but have played the last 3 years as loosehead
4 Jun 2008, 11:38 am
#62 Kerneels: I don’t think it’s anything like that…we are all entitled to our opinion. We all have favourites and we all talk them up, that isnt an issue. What is an issue is if someone comes onto the site and demeans everyone else for not rating BJ. We are being told that we don’t know anything about scrummaging and that for a DEFINITIVE FACT BJ is the best tighthead in SA, and THAT is what has people annoyed methinks….just my observation
4 Jun 2008, 11:38 am
#69 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: Walla I would not know, I dont live in SA
4 Jun 2008, 11:39 am
#75 tight head: How has the Cape own thing gotten out of hand ? Please explain ? All that was said was that Beast and Brian are the form props. Nothing more and nothing less. I just cannot believe the level of insecurity displayed by other provinces when it comes to a debate on form thats all.
4 Jun 2008, 11:39 am
#75 JL1:
You started off “tight” and now you are “loose”…now where have I heard that before?
4 Jun 2008, 11:40 am
could it have been Dawn???
4 Jun 2008, 11:40 am
#62 Did someone say “racist”?
4 Jun 2008, 11:40 am
#65 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: I think you will like it…you take a sheep/goat called Brian, you position him/her facing a sheer drop of at least 30m… hehe, you know the rest!
4 Jun 2008, 11:40 am
#73 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: ja the game is evolving and there’s more to it than what happens in the “secret world of scrummaging” even though I don’t recall BJ murdering any1 of late
4 Jun 2008, 11:41 am
#80 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: From your boyfriend Cecil no doubt
4 Jun 2008, 11:41 am
#70 pepinillo: Murdered?? It looked more like torture. I think BJ was 8 inches shorter after that game and still has a funny taste in his mouth of his breakfast cornflakes
4 Jun 2008, 11:41 am
#80 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: Ooh!! Ouch!!
4 Jun 2008, 11:42 am
#76 flanka:
“DEFINITIVE FACT BJ is the best tighthead in SA, and THAT is what has people annoyed methinks….just my observation”
I will take your word for it!
4 Jun 2008, 11:42 am
#75 JL1:
So in your opinion, who are the best loose head and tight head scrummagers in SA today?
Just number 1 in each position.
4 Jun 2008, 11:44 am
#82 Kerneels:
Do I?
You speaking from experience that it has made you shy to divulge all the instructions!
4 Jun 2008, 11:45 am
#88 Lawrence S by a country mile
4 Jun 2008, 11:46 am
I personally think Guthro is overrated, would rather have CJ or Beast at loosehead.
As far as scrumming ability is concerned, BJ (tighthead) and Heinkie (looshead) are the best in SA. Remember Heinkie destroying the kiwis at U21 level, it was embarrassing for them.
Snor may be looking at developing Mujati and Beast who I believe have allot of potential. They are both young and really stood up this S14.
The Beast has only changed from loose forward to prop a few years ago, and his scrumming has improved allot from last season even, so with experience he will get better. He is one of the best ball carrying props around.
My brother worked as a fitness coach with the GLRU in 2005, and he says Mujati broke all the strength records in the gym. I know it is just gym, but he is one strong b*stard. You need your tighthead to be the strongest player.
I would like to see Beast, Smit/Bismarc, Mujati. They may not be our best combo now, but have the potential to be.
1. Beast (high workrate, ball carrier, scrumming improving), CJ (high workrate, somtimes struggles in scrum, more comfortable at LH), Heinkie (Best scrummer, could pichup work rate), Guthro (nothing special, but okay)
3. Mujati (high workrate, scrumming not bad), BJ (Good scrum, good work rate, somtimes lacks impact in contact because of his size).
4 Jun 2008, 11:47 am
#90 whatever: lol
4 Jun 2008, 11:49 am
#88 tight head: Guthro has to be the best loosehead, not on form but on what he has to offer followed by Heinke
CJ has a suspect bind technique and used to get blown up all the time for not binding properly, so Mujati is my rated players as he also had light locks behind him
4 Jun 2008, 11:50 am
#89 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: Nah, you told me all about it the other day and therefore I do not need to elaborate (don’t want to get banished ‘n all) – to refresh your memory, the rest involves an industrial drum of KY jelly, a stapler, a torque wrench and a young Tibetan albino kid named ‘Ginger’…
4 Jun 2008, 11:51 am
#93 JL1:
Agree with you on the loose heads.
Am I right in saying that you would only rate BJ as number 3 in the tight heads?
4 Jun 2008, 11:52 am
Tighthead, please give us a brief lesson on what qualities a prop needs, and then what differentiates a loosehead and a tighthead prop, besides their positions in the scrum?
Thanks
4 Jun 2008, 11:53 am
#33 Joe Maher: and you say all this from your desk in Oz. give it a rest before you choke on all that bile.
4 Jun 2008, 11:53 am
#33 Joe Maher:
Man, you are speaking of Gauteng as if it is reformed New York. I have stayed there, I can remember being able to practice riding my bicycle 8pm at the pick & pay parking lot. Now my old suburb is enclosed by a fence with a security guard at the gate.
Don’t be a smuck, Cape Town is much more socially integrated then Jo-Burg, just look at the Stormers team, there is a blend of black and white players in the team, where the lions keep losing their ‘black’ players to other provinces, why is that? Just an observation?
Let me tell you what people don’t like about Jo-Burg
- The CBD is a dump, looks like the centre of some war torn country.
- Highjacks – mostly like 80% less in CT.
- The low value of life, in JHB you will get killed for no reason. (Xenophobia started near JHB)
Don’t take it personal, I just know the difference.
And a flat rock?! You wish you had Table Mountain.
4 Jun 2008, 11:55 am
#95 tight head: Yes, we are talking here of overall play, BJ spills the ball in the tackle and Sheridan did murder him last year scrum time
4 Jun 2008, 11:57 am
#29 JL1: Will the current management of EP rugby please explain to us why there is not even one player left in this once proud union who is able to make the emerging team #48 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: What the hell has this got to do with rugby? As for the BJ debate – He is over rated in Durbs. Scrum in on the hooker all the time.
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