Bok fire still burning bright for Jantjies

Jantjies fought his way back into coach Rassie Erasmus’ squad this season for the first time since his last appearance in the green and gold in August 2023 against Argentina, and said the lessons he had learned being in and out of the squad had taught him to be patient and make the most of the opportunities he receives in the green and gold.

“I didn’t have the luxury of coming straight out of school and playing professional rugby, and I think that prepared me for where I am now,” said Jantjies.

“It’s difficult once you are in the set-up to be left out because one dreams of it and playing in a Rugby World Cup. Obviously, I didn’t make the 2023 RWC squad, but I must give credit to the players who were there. They were amazing.

“That showed me and prepared me to understand that just as quickly as the good comes, things can go, so I’ll always work as hard as I can to be here.”

Jantjies said his move to French club Bayonne reignited his dream of playing Test rugby: “It also added a new dimension to my game, and working with this group of coaches has also sparked that hunger again. The fire is burning in me to play for this team even more and I feel like a young 20-year-old Herschel Jantjies again.”

The experienced scrumhalf may have made his international debut against Australia seven years ago, scoring two tries to boot, but he said doing his best on the field overshadowed any emotions he may have about playing against the Wallabies.

“My debut back in 2019 against Australia holds a lot of special memories, but it’s a long time down the line now and I was out of the mix for about three years, so the team I play against doesn’t really come along with emotion,” said Jantjies.

“I’m just really grateful for the opportunity, and hopefully I can go out this weekend and play to the best of my ability.”

With the likes of Grant Williams, Morne van den Berg, and Cobus Reinach in the current Bok squad, Jantjies said while the competition at scrumhalf was healthy, training and playing with players of their calibre, and working with Erasmus, and coaches such as Mzwandile Stick, Felix Jones, and Jerry Flannery, was a special experience.

“A lot has changed in the team over the last few years – it’s incredible working with these coaches to see how they want to play the game, so this is a very exciting time for me,” he said.

“I’ve been with the squad for a while now, and I’ve learned a lot from the training sessions, sitting in the meetings, and talking to the other scrumhalves.

“To see how Morne (van den Berg) came on in the last Test against New Zealand and went about his work was amazing, and I’d like to go out this weekend and take the opportunity in a similar fashion.

“The competition among the No 9s in the group is amazing and we always help each other where we can and challenge one another in a healthy way. They are all great players, and each one brings something special to the game.”

The Springboks travelled from Terrigal north of Sydney to Perth on Thursday afternoon, and arrived at their base late that evening to a warm welcome from a large group of South African fans.

The team had Friday off to rest and switch into match mode and will wrap up their preparations for the match at their captains run on Saturday.

The match kicks off at 11h45 (SA time) on Sunday and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.