The 26-year-old recently obtained South African citizenship and thus became eligible for the Springboks. Tshituka said receiving his passport – and by extension, citizenship – gave him the opportunity to compete for selection, and he is grateful to have made the team.

He said that without a South African passport, he was never in the race to be selected to join the Springboks. “I felt like that was just the ticket to participate, and then being selected for a Test match is winning a medal,” he said.

“It was something I tried to get for quite a while, and everybody asked me that question. My response was always: getting the passport doesn’t put me in the squad – there’s still a selection process.”

The new debutant said he hasn’t yet had the time to take in the enormity of the occasion when he will run out in the Green and Gold. Tshituka will start against a star-studded squad including Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony and New Zealanders Sam Cane, Shannon Frizzell, Lachlan Boshier and Hoskins Sotutu – a formidable force. Despite his opponents' calibre, Tshituka stays focused on his role.

“It will be an emotional game for them, because it is at the back end of their careers. However, I must get over the emotion and get stuck in,” he said.

“The Green and Gold is everything to me and my family, who have supported me along this journey. That is already a big enough occasion.”

The match between the Springboks and the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town next Saturday will kick off at 17:10. It will be followed by Tests against Italy and Georgia in July.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger cg