They call him “The Boot” or “Mr Cool” but for diehard Tuks rugby fans one thing is sure – Theo (Fiela) Boshoff is going to impact on the outcome of the Varsity Cup Tournament.

The flyhalf could not have hoped for a better senior Varsity Rugby Cup debut than the game against Pukke form Northwest University last week, where he dropped, scored and placed to help Tuks win.

Slotting that winning penalty through the posts in the dying minute proved he has got big match temperament.

Boshoff seems to easily take to the role as a game-breaker. Last year he was instrumental in helping the Bulls win the SA Rugby u.21 Championship. During the final against Western Province, he scored 18 of the Bulls’ 33 points. He has also helped Tuks to win the Varsity Young Gun Tournament in 2017.

He has been chasing after balls ever since he can remember. Getting to watch his heroes on television indeed served as extra motivation to try and never drop the ball. When he was a little boy, one of the perks was getting to play touch rugby “tests” on Sunday in the park with his older friends. Perhaps at first being one of the smallest players in every game he played are what helped him to think on his feet.

The Tuks flyhalf matriculated at Paarl Gymnasium in the Western Cape. A big highlight at the time was helping his team to win the annual derby against Paul Roos Gymnasium (28-24). What made it extra special for him was that his opposite number on that day was the now Springbok Damian Willemse.

According to Boshoff, one of the best decisions he has made up to now is to come to Pretoria.

“Getting to play for the Bulls at u.21 level changed my whole perception as to what the role of a flyhalf should be. While at school, I was a running flyhalf. During the last three years, I developed into a more complete flyhalf. I can adapt to whatever is required from me during the game. I am certainly tactically more astute knowing when to kick and when to run the ball,” he explained.

The Springbok flyhalf, Handre Pollard, might not know it, but he also has had a significant influence on how Boshoff thinks as a flyhalf.

“When I was a Grade 8-learner, Handre was playing for Paarl Gym’s first team. I remember being astonished as to how far he was able to kick a ball. At first, I did not think it was possible. Of lately, I have been trying to base my play on the way he is doing things,” said Boshoff.

Drop goals seem to have become somewhat of dying art in South African rugby. Therefore, it was exciting to see Boshoff slot one over in that first Varsity Cup game of the season. During last year’s national u.21 final he was also able to do so.

“Drop goals is a vital facet to my game as I play to win every time I take to the field. Being able to execute a drop goals means that I got another way to make sure the scoreboard keeps on ticking over,” the young star concluded.

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