Like any good boerewors and tighthead, new Bulls bolter Francois Klopper has some 'pork' in him

Earlier this year, Gert Smal - himself a proverbial man mountain at 1.98m - asked Francois Klopper what are the attributes of a good tighthead prop.

The 23-year-old Tuks Varsity Cup stalwart kept his answer simple, perhaps even cliched.

"Francois told him a good tighthead is like good boerewors, it requires a bit of vark (pork)," said Jake White, the Bulls' director of rugby.

"He summed it up quite nicely."

That's exactly what White sees in his latest candidate to strengthen the franchise's depth in the No 3 jersey after handing him a first start in Friday's URC meeting with Connacht at Loftus.

Playing in one of the game's most demanding positions not only requires technical prowess, but also a robust attitude.

In other words, you need to behave a bit like a pig when you run onto the field.

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At a meaty 1.89m and 124kg, Klopper is ideally-built for his role and has honed his craft since his days at Bethlehem Voortrekker after his father suggested at a young age that he initiate the shift. 

"His body shape is perfect. He looks like a tighthead," said White, who's also been impressed by the rookie's skillset.

"He's got the shape, the athletic ability and he's scrummed well for a guy who's still relatively young in that position. Props only really mature in their late 20s or early 30s.

"He's done well and suits the way we want to play. He carries well too. Eventually he's had to get a start. 

"We'll see how he does in a really good pack and how he mixes with them."

Yet while Klopper's playing output has been encouraging, what White has really enjoyed is his front-rower's academic background, once again illustrating that there's value in