KELSEYTHOMASOFFICIAL
c a e s e e co e
but join the hype after the All Blacks clash.
“Scoring tries looks as if it’s a really
simple thing for him at this level,” he said.
“His service is nice and crisp, his feel-
ing for the game and support play is a
great thing that he brings to the game.
If we keep encouraging that and don’t
overcoach him, he’ll keep improving and
doing the things he did today.”
There are two more Test matches to go
before the squad is announced for the
World Cup in Japan, but Herschel seems
like a dead cert. There are even calls for
him to be the first-choice instead of Faf
de Klerk at scrumhalf but that’s unlikely
to happen yet.
HerschelcametothefieldafterFafwasagicbutFafismoreexperienced
d has proved his mettle repeatedly.
But waiting in the wings is a red-
otstar on the rise.ERSCHEL always dreamt
of playing for the Spring-
boks some day and
counted New Zealand’s
Dan Carter and South
Africa’s Bolla Conradie
among his favourite players. Growing up
he was crazy about ball games and start-
ed playing rugby when he was five. Ade-
line and Sammy started calling him their
“Springbokkie” when he was still at pre-
school.
For Sammy, a safety officer for a logis-
tics company, his sons’ childhood was a
go-go-go time.
“Herschel and Sammy Jo would always
beg their father to kick a rugby ball with
them,” says Adeline, a housewife. “Their
dad would leave everything he was busy
with and go with the boys to the field.”
At primary school Herschel excelled in
cricket and basketball but it was clear he
would be a rugby guy, his mom says.
He was awarded a scholarship to at-tend PaulRoosGymnasiuminStellen-
bosch, a top rugby school, where his tal-
ent was honed. He represented Western
Province at under-16 level before pro-
gressing to their under-19 and under-
sides and made his Super Rugby debut
in 2018 as part of the Stormers squad in
their game against the Sharks.
Sammy Jo plays rugby for the Kylemore
Rugby Club but is more focused on his
IT studies at Stellenbosch University.D
ID Adeline ever think her
firstborn’s career would sky-
rocket like this? She gives it
a moment’s thought. “We
did, yes – but not that it
would happen this soon. It
was a surprise when he was chosen to
play for the Boks. I mean, there are so
many other talented players.”
When Herschel isn’t dodging players
twice his size and hurling himself over
try lines he’s walking his dogs, going to
the gym, spending time with his girl-
friend, Kelsey Thomas – and sleeping.
“Let’s just say he rests well,” Adeline
quips.
She describes Herschel as down to
earth and modest to a fault. “Whenever
he scored a try in a high school game, I’d
tell him we were going to have a braai to
celebrate. Then he’d say, ‘No, Mommy,
please don’t make a fuss over one try’.”
The family have had to make many
sacrifices, driving far and wide to sup-
port him at his rugby games. But they
never complained, Adeline says, because
that was what he loved and they wanted
to be there for him.
She shares a story of just how invested
she got in one of Herschel’s rugby match-
es years ago.
“He was 14 at the time and they were
playing against Paarl Gimnasium but
they just couldn’t seem to score a try,”
Adeline recalls. “I was running alongside
the field, literally seeing myself scoring
this try on their behalf.
“It felt as if I could just grab the ball.
Eventually the referee said to me, ‘Mom,
you need to get off the field.’ I didn’t even
realise I was on the field!”
Herschel was crowned man of the
match after that game.
“The trophy he brought home that day
felt as if it was ours,” Adeline adds.
And it’s a feeling that’s remained with
every achievement that’s followed. S
EXTRA SOURCES: SARUGBYMAG.CO.ZA, SPORT24.CO.ZA,
T: Herschel – already a sports star at school. TIMESLIVE.CO.ZA
VE: His parents, Sammy and Adeline Jantjies,
his younger brother, Sammy Jo.FT:Thescrumhalfgaveanother
ellar performance when he scored
e only try for the Boks in their match
ainst New Zealand. ABOVE: With
rlfriend Kelsey Thomas.you.co.za 8 AUGUST 2019 | (^15)
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