Having seen a lot of their best young talent leave the union, the Lions will be relieved to have lured one of the best rising young talents in SA rugby.
Whether it is a sign of things to come, or a strange one-off move for the Lions, who are used to seeing their best talent departing for greener pastures, the signing of Junior Springbok star Bathobele Hlekani is a welcome boost for the struggling union.
In recent times the Lions have fostered some of the country’s best up and coming junior talent, only to see them snapped up by the rest of the “big four”.
Top rising talent who have left the Lions over the past few years include Vincent and Emmanuel Tshituka and Jordan Hendrikse, all to the Sharks, Wandisile Simelane, to the Bulls, and Hacjivah Dayimani to the Stormers.
So to see one of the brightest young U20 talents making a move up to the Highveld, from the much more fancied Springbok-laden coastal Sharks, is a surprise that many didn’t see coming.
Hlekani, who is a utility forward that has featured at lock and flank, was a star performer for the Junior Springboks during their recent World Rugby U20 Championship winning campaign, and that has been recognised by the Springbok management.
Springbok feel
Hlekani, along with two other Junior Bok stars, scrumhalf and soon to be teammate Haashim Pead, and Bulls outside back Cheswill Jooste, were called into the Springbok training squad for the Rugby Championship, to get a feel for the system, even though coach Rassie Erasmus said they wouldn’t feature for the Boks this year.
Hlekani’s burgeoning talent is undeniable and he will add plenty of competition to the Lions’ utility forward department.
The Lions aren’t hurting for loose forwards, boasting some top talent in Francke Horn, Ruan Venter, JC Pretorius, Jarod Cairns, Renzo du Plessis, and Siba Qoma among others, while their lock department also isn’t wanting.
But Hlekani may believe he has a better chance of getting valuable game time to push his Springbok ambitions at the Lions, rather than at the Sharks, where he would have had to challenge players like Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, the Tshituka brothers Vincent and Emmanuel, Phepsi Buthelezi and Jason Jenkins.
