The 26-year-old finally landed in the country following work permit issues last month, and says he has been settling in well to his new environment at Matsatsantsa, reserving special praise for Gordon Igesund.
“It’s been going good!” he tells snl24.com/kickoff. “Gordon has been good, he’s been understanding but also trying to get me up to speed as quickly as possible.
“There’s a been a lot of details to get over, but the effort from the team has been great with making me feel comfortable and helping me fit in.
“Gordon is very meticulous, trying to get all the little details down so we can hit the ground running on Tuesday night.”
Despite only arriving in South Africa after a 30-hour flight just two days prior to United’s opening encounter in the pre-season Cape Town Cup tournament, Boxall was named in Matsasantsa’s starting line-up as they conceded four first-half goals to Premier League opponents Crystal Palace.
The centre-back admits he was surprised with his inclusion in the team, yet feels that match will benefit him in the long run.
“Yes, I was a little surprised, but at that stage there wasn’t a lot of time before our first game of the season so I was just thrown out there to try get me up to speed as quickly as possible,” he says. “So yes, it wasn’t the best for my body, but I think the minutes spent out there will start paying off over the next few weeks.”
Boxall says he has been left impressed with the players he has encountered in his short time in the country, and hopes he can play a role in allowing his teammates to shine.
“The games seem to be a lot more open and free than back in Australia,” he notes. “There’s so many gifted and skilful players that like to express themselves on the ball, and we have a lot of players that can do damage.
“Hopefully I can add a bit of structure and stability at the back so that those players can do their thing.”
SuperSport kick off their 2015/16 season in their MTN8 tie against Bidvest Wits tomorrow evening.