Tshituka set to become Norhtcliff’s first Bok
He is a fighter, a natural-born leader who refuses to give way, and that is how Vincent Tshituka crossed borders, obstacles and paperwork to pursue an unlikely path to become Northcliff High School‘s first-ever Springbok
Tshituka has already had a taste of top-tier international rugby, making his unofficial debut for the Springboks last Saturday against the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
He also represented a South African XV in 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the recent accolades and excitement in his young career, the 26-year-old’s journey has been far from easy.
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Tshituka family relocated to Johannesburg in 2002 amid political turmoil in their homeland, unaware that both Vincent and his brother, Emmanuel, would one day become influential figures in South African rugby.
By then, sport had already played a central role in Vincent’s life.
He initially pursued football as a goalkeeper, but his career path changed significantly when he enrolled at Northcliff High School. In Grade 8, he picked up a rugby ball for the first time.
“When he first started playing, he was already a massive human being,” recalled Tinus Diedericks, current Chairman of the Noordvaal Schools Rugby Association and a long-time mentor at Northcliff.
“Initially, Vincent played for the C and B teams, but he quickly found his feet. By the end of that year, he was running out for the A team. As coaches, we kept refining his skills and, with his incredible hunger to learn, he soon became a formidable weapon.”
Tshituka’s first breakthrough came in his matric year, 2016, when he was selected by the Golden Lions selectors to represent the union at the Academy Week at Kearsney College in KwaZulu-Natal. But it was two years earlier, as an under-16 player, that his spark had ignited.
Despite missing out on selection for any of the Lions’ u16 teams, he made it to the final trials, a turning point in his belief that he was good enough to make it.
Diedericks emphasised that Vincent’s immense mental strength made him a natural leader, complementing his already impressive physical presence. This, too, established him as a key player for Northcliff in a short space of time.
Although he left school nearly a decade ago, Tshituka still speaks highly of the impact Northcliff had on his life.
“He’s building an incredible legacy. In every interview and social media appearance, he reminds people where his rugby journey began. That, in turn, instils great confidence in our current Northcliff boys, serving as a reminder that they, too, can achieve their dreams,” Diedericks added.
Despite a string of setbacks, including the long struggle to obtain South African citizenship to qualify for Springbok selection, Tshituka remained relentless at franchise level, performing week in and week out, patiently biding his time.
And now, from humble beginnings in Blackheath, Johannesburg, a new Springbok star has been born.
