A move to the Emirates Lions has coincided withSanele Nohamba rediscovering the form that made him hot property as a rookie.

Nohambawas the driving force in the Emirates Lions’ revival last week, scoring 24points as the Pride feasted on the Vodacom Bulls in the latest edition of theJukskei derby.

“Playerslike that, you need them to show special moments when you have your backagainst the wall, I thought Sanele was special,” Emirates Lions coach Ivan vanRooyen said after the 29-25 victory.

Itwas a timely return to form for 24-year-old Nohamba who has already experiencedthe highs and lows of a rollercoaster career.

AJunior Springbok in 2019, Nohamba was considered one of the country’s brightestyoung scrumhalf prospects. The following year, he found out the hard way howquickly things can change in professional rugby.

Nohambawas on fire for a Cell C Sharks team that had made an electric start to the2020 Super Rugby season, making a big impact at the beginning of what was setto be his first full year as a senior professional. The Cell C Sharks toppedthe leaderboard and he seemed destined for a Springbok call-up, but a nationallockdown slammed the brakes on the 2020 rugby calendar and parked hisdevelopment.

Whenrugby resumed in South Africa towards the end of that year, Nohamba lacked thesharpness and spark that had been hallmarks of his game, and the Cell C Sharkspulled him out of the rotation. His struggles with form coincided with the riseof another local lad, Jaden Hendrikse, and Paarl-raised Grant Williams was alsoquickly building up a head of steam having come through the club rugbystructures in Durban.

Hendrikseand Williams went on to make their Springbok debuts, but Nohamba had to settlefor a place in the wider squad for the 2021 British & Irish Lions series.

WhenNohamba returned to the Cell C Sharks, he was used sparingly, and the lack ofgame time eventually led to him swapping Durban’s shores for the inner city ofJohannesburg.

That’snot to say that the competition was any easier when he arrived at EmiratesAirline Park - Morne van den Berg and Andre Warner were part of the furniture.

Nohambathrew himself into training, getting back to basics and working to regain form.The results are evident in how the Emirates Lions have increasingly trusted himwith the No 9 jersey as the 2022-23 Vodacom United Rugby Championship season has gone on.

Nohamba’srevival hit prime time in the Jukskei derby when the Emirates Lions stunned theVodacom Bulls at their Pretoria fortress.

“Iam loving Joburg, it’s my new home now,” he said after the match. “I love thepeople, I love the place. It has just been rejuvenating for me.

“Withoutshying away from it, we hadn’t beaten any South African side, so it was good toget one over the Bulls and the boys are really proud.”

Thefull Nohamba package was on display in that match. Always alert to anopportunity, he scored a try from a smartly-taken quick-tap penalty, and he wasa perpetual linebreak threat around the fringes.

Hisgoal-kicking is his point of difference - Nohamba slotted five penalties andtwo conversions in a flawless display off the tee. It’s what singles him outamong SA halfbacks and may well be what earns Nohamba a ticket to France forthe 2023 Rugby World Cup.