Emmanuel Tshituka will wear green and gold for the first time when SA 'A' face Zimbabwe at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday, with the occasion made more remarkable by the fact that his brother Vincent will captain the side.
The two Congolese-born brothers received their South African IDs last year, opening the door to national selection. Vincent made his Springbok debut against Italy shortly after, and Emmanuel has now followed with his first call-up to the expanded Springbok squad. It is almost exactly a year between the two brothers' respective entries into the national setup.
Vincent leads SA 'A' under the oversight of assistant coach Mzwandile Stick, while Emmanuel, 26 and known as 'Manu', starts at flank.
"About 18 months ago, we didn't expect or even think it would be possible to be in this environment," Emmanuel said. "We are very grateful and excited to rub shoulders with some of the best players in the world."
He credited Vincent for helping him prepare — "he's really tried to prepare me for what to expect from his experience last year" — but added that he has also sought out experienced loose forwards in the squad to accelerate his understanding of the environment.
The week carried an additional personal note for Emmanuel, who shares a birthday with Siya Kolisi and was surprised by a cake and messages from teammates and coaches.
SA 'A' kick off against Zimbabwe at 12h00, with the Springboks facing the Barbarians at 15h00. Both matches are live on SuperSport.