- Yaw Penxe's fine performance at the Springbok Showdown has not only ensured he stays a player of Springbok interest in future but will also go a long way to helping him find another home to play rugby at.
- The 23-year-old is one of several Southern Kings stars stuck in limbo after the franchise's liquidation, leaving them with no rugby to play.
- Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says he'll be very surprised if Penxe isn't snapped up by a union in the next fortnight.
For Yaw Penxe, Saturday's Springbok Showdown wasn't merely about being exposed to the national side's way of doing things.
Instead, the gifted Southern Kings winger used the platform at Newlands to convince potential suitors that he deserves to be playing rugby for the rest of 2020, especially in light of the franchise's liquidation a few weeks back.
And Mzwandile Stick, Springbok assistant and Team Green's coach, is adamant the 23-year-old has done enough to get a gig.
"I highly doubt it that Yaw will still be stuck in limbo in two weeks time," he said following his charges' 25-9 victory.
"With the way he played today, if I was a coach somewhere in South Africa, I'd take the opportunity to bring him in my team. I've known him since he was 19 and I coached at the Kings as well as the Junior Springboks.
"He's a player with great potential."
Penxe was denied a try by an errant Damian Willemse pull-back, which led to a penalty try as well as a yellow card, but that didn't prevent him from delivering a workmanlike performance, where he defended and chased with vigour and consistently looked for work.
"You saw him under the high balls, he was very aggressive and involved," said Stick.
"I'd be surprised if he's still in PE after this. There will be a lot of teams after him now and I'm really happy for him. It's not nice what's happening to him and the others at the Kings. He deserves an opportunity."
Deon Davids, the man who gave him his big break at senior level, was similarly elated.
"Yaw is a special talent and, to be honest, that's one of the reasons why he was selected for this week," said the former Kings head coach and Team Gold mentor.
"He's a brilliant attacker and a proven finisher with a high work rate. I'm really pleased that he grabbed this opportunity and performed really well."
Another feather in the Queenstown hero's cap is the fact that he could deliver a performance of this nature on the back of an injury-blighted year that saw him play little rugby even before lockdown.
"He was out for a long time, came back and worked extremely hard," said Davids.
"This match was confirmation again that hard work and determination brings rewards. There are many talented players like him out there, it's just about given them opportunities. I'm so pleased for Yaw."