DENILO Jordaan honed his early rugby skills on the streets of Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) where he played touch rugby with his family.

Those skills helped the 20-year-old build an impressive sporting record, where he represented not only his schools but provincial teams across the Eastern Cape, excelling in both 15s and 7s rugby.

In January this year, the Emeris Durban North student began one of his dreams after he was selected as one of 42 players for the SA Academy U20 squad training camp.

The camp was hosted in Stellenbosch and laid the foundation for the identification and preparation of the next generation of Junior Springboks.

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“I’ve always had ambitions of playing rugby for the Springboks and putting on the kit with that logo was a dream come true. The most incredible thing was when I was a learner at Pearson High School, the SA U20 training camp was held in Gqeberha and I remember the players walking past the hostel where I stayed and watching them warm up on the field. I remember saying to myself that ‘one day is one day’ and it’s surreal to actually be part of the squad two years later,” he said.

While he wasn’t selected for the final team for the test tour of Georgia, Jordaan felt he gained from the experience.

“I gained so much confidence and it was an incredible experience. It has helped boost my confidence and my self-belief. It’s my first time attending a squad and has been my goal for this year. My hope is to be selected for the next training camp before World Rugby U20 Championship,” he said.

This year has also marked his first senior experience in Varsity Cup playing for the FNB Emeris Comets.

The competition features the top rugby-playing universities in the country.

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“It has been quite easy coming into the team as a junior because everyone is so welcoming. I’m actually the youngest in the team. I look up to all of them and it’s like a brotherhood. The competition has been tough and although we’ve only won two games in the pool stages, I feel it’s built our character and team belief,” he said.

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