I felt unwanted at Bok camp - Ntubeni

Western Province hooker Scarra Ntubeni has revealed coach Heyneke Meyer kept him in limbo during the Springbok camp.

Western Province hooker Scarra Ntubeni has revealed coach Heyneke Meyer kept him in limbo during the Springbok camp.

The 24-year-old says he knew he wasn’t going to the World Cup “six-seven weeks ago” already, despite Meyer saying last week was the toughest of his career when he named his 31-man squad.

Now Scarra is just happy to be back at Newlands where he feels wanted, saying: “It’s good to be back home. For the past few months, I think I have been a bit unsettled.

“Getting injured towards the end of Super Rugby, not playing anything when I was at the Boks.

“I am over the disappointment [of not making the World Cup squad], I knew about it six-seven weeks ago.

“Coming back [to Province] is exciting – the sense of being wanted and coming back home for me – that was very important.

“I think I’m a player that performs or feels more comfortable with people that want you around them.”

Ntubeni, though, says he will be ready if the Boks need him in the tournament.

He adds: “We trained quite hard with the Boks – fitness isn’t an issue, it’s just a matter of getting more time on the field.

“I still get all the emails [from the Boks], I still know what’s happening over there.

“[If] anything changes – the door is open, [but] at the moment I am really happy with where I am.

“I just need to focus on playing well for Province, so if anything like that does happen I need to be ready.” - Daily Voice