Mchunu brother Ntuthuko, left, Khuthazani during their days at the Cell C Sharks catch up with Lions' Marius Louw in 2023 before they all moved on to other unions.

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Khutha Mchunu and his brother Ntuthuko may wear different colours for the Bulls and Stormers, but the burly props remain each other’s biggest supporters, bound by a brotherhood forged in childhood battles and a shared understanding of professional rugby.

Growing up in the same house,  the two powerful forwards competed long before they became professionals.

“My brother played hooker as well. From a young age, it was always competitive in the house,” Khutha recalled ahead of the Bulls' home match against the Scarlets on Saturday.

“Everything was a battle. We loved it. Our father hated it, to be honest.”

These days, their rivalry plays out on opposite sides of the United Rugby Championship, with Khutha representing the Bulls and Ntuthuko the Stormers. But the family connection remains an important source of support when professional rugby becomes difficult.

“Playing rugby and understanding what it takes to play at this level, and sometimes how lonely it can be when things aren’t going well, just to have that support structure is massive,” Khutha said.

“Someone who understands what it’s like to be in those positions, it’s crucial. Obviously, when we were at the Sharks as well. So, yeah, we’ve always just been there for each other.”

Their father, Mfanono, was a big presence in their lives, although his sporting background was in football rather than rugby.

“Big guy, big hands, big feet,” Khutha said. “Not the tallest, but he wore a size 14, and he was shorter than me. In his day, he played football – not professionally.”

While the brothers have forged their own careers in the front row, Khutha’s rugby ambitions were shaped by another giant of South African rugby: Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira.

Long before he shared a dressing room with the former Springbok prop at the Sharks, Mtawarira inspired a young Khutha to dream of following in his footsteps.

“When I was young, obviously, you can’t look past a guy like The Beast. He was the guy,” Mchunu said.

Growing up without regular access to DStv, his first exposure to rugby came through the 2007 Rugby World Cup, when matches were broadcast on SABC2 after the final whistle.

“That was the first time I’d ever watched rugby,” he said.

The game's physicality fascinated him, with Mtawarira and Os du Randt among the players who captured his imagination.

Years later, Mchunu’s boyhood admiration became a reality when he joined the Sharks and found himself playing alongside his hero.

“I was fortunate enough to play with The Beast. I was on the bench when I made my Sharks debut, and he started, so we played in the same team,” he said.

“It was a young kid’s dream come true, playing with a legend. I’ve got a picture of us at home. It was just awesome – a young kid’s dream come true.”

The experience was even more special because of the quality of the Sharks pack around him, with players such as Akker van der Merwe, Thomas du Toit and Coenie Oosthuizen also part of the group.

“I couldn’t believe it, actually. I was still only 20 years old at the time.”

FILE - Ockie Barnard, Ntuthuko and Khutha Mchunu of the Cell C Sharks with ex-Sharks players Marius Louw, Captain and Sanele Nohamba of the Fidelity ADT Lions during the 2023 Currie Cup match at Kings Park.

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Now 29, Mchunu is carving out his own place in the game at the Bulls, where he has embraced the increasingly important role of the replacement forward.

He has featured in four matches off the bench this season and, while he would welcome a starting opportunity, he believes making an impact as a substitute is every bit as valuable.

“I just want to serve where I’m needed. Coach Akkers has a plan. He has a plan for all of us,” he said.

“I think if he allows me to start, I’ll take it with both hands. And if he requires me off the bench, I’m also happy with that.

“If you look at the trend of rugby these days, some of the second halves are more important. If you look at the Springboks as well, how they come on as a pack of players with games in the balance. So, we take pride as well, wherever we play.”