Wynberg Boys celebrate two Old Boys in Springbok squad

Two Wynberg Boys’ High School old boys, Zachary Porthen and Yaqeen Ahmed, have earned call-ups to the Springbok squad for the second leg of the Nations Championship.

The announcement marks a special moment for Wynberg Rugby, with the school celebrating the selection of two former pupils for the same Springbok tour for the first time since Doug Hopwood and Lionel Wilson in 1965.

Porthen, who matriculated in 2022, and Ahmed, who left the Cape Town school in 2025, are among the 37 players selected for the upcoming leg of the tournament.

Uncapped players

Ahmed is one of six uncapped players in the squad, giving him an opportunity to make his Springbok debut.

Porthen, meanwhile, has already made his mark in South African rugby history.

On 1 November 2025, he became the youngest Springbok prop to take the field in the professional era when he played against Japan.

He currently has eight Test caps to his name.

Wynberg Boys’ High School has produced 16 Springboks – including currently uncapped Yaqeen Ahmed.

Schedule

The Springboks will begin the second leg of the Nations Championship against Italy on Saturday, 7 November, before taking on France on Friday, 13 November and Ireland on Saturday, 21 November.

Those matches will be crucial to their hopes of finishing the league stages in the strongest possible position ahead of the Finals Weekend, scheduled for London from 27 to 29 November.

The Springboks currently lead the Southern Hemisphere standings on points difference, tied with New Zealand on 15 points.

Wynberg Boys’ High School Springbok old boys

Springboks	Date of birth
Toski Smith	9 April 1871
Pieter Dormehl	4 November 1872
Syd Ashley	23 February 1880
Frank Mellish	26 March 1897
Bennie Osler	23 November 1901
Sharkey Osler	31 January 1907
Jock van Niekerk	1 June 1907
Frankie Waring	7 November 1908
Dougie Holton	28 September 1932
Lionel Wilson	25 May 1933
Doug Hopwood	3 June 1934
Dave Stewart	14 July 1935
Rob Louw	26 March 1955
Sikhumbuszo Notshe	28 May 1993
Zachary Porthen	31 March 2004
Yaqeen Ahmed	28 July 2006

Springbok squad for second leg of Nations Championship:

Props: Thomas du Toit, Ox Nche (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen (all Stormers), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls)

Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls)

Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Salmaan Moerat (Stade Rochelais), Ruan Nortje (Kubota Spears), Riley Norton (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)

Loose forwards: Paul de Villiers, Siya Kolisi (both Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Emmanuel Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks)

Utility forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Marco van Staden (Bulls)

Scrumhalves: Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Kobe Steelers)

Flyhalves: Yaqeen Ahmed, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (both Stormers), Luan Giliomee (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners)

Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Markus Muller (Stormers), Canan Moodie (Bulls)

Outside backs: Sebastian de Klerk (Bulls), Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Damian Willemse (Stormers)