Super Rugby: What has Warrick Gelant eaten the last few weeks?
The simplicity of that answer on the red-hot Bulls fullback, who's been outstanding, will surprise many fans.
Warrick Gelant has been in red-hot form the past few weeks. Photo: Johan Rynners/Gallo Images.
In the professional era of sports, we tend to try and over-analyse why a player loses form.
There are fancy explanations over a weakness in their games or a mental issue that’s plaguing them.
Also read: Super Rugby: Europe won’t make South African rugby better
Ironically, sometimes a slump is nothing more than a natural slump – a “normal” difficult period a player needs to experience to become better.
And if you ask Bulls coach Nollis Marais about the transformation of Warrick Gelant the past few weeks, he’ll give you that exact answer.
“Nothing’s happened to him,” said Marais with a smirk.
“It just think there’s suddenly space for him again to work with.”
It’s indeed a simple answer to a simple question.
The 22-year-old former Junior Springbok fullback has sprung to life again the last month.
He scored a superb brace of tries for South Africa ‘A’ in their second match against the French Barbarians in Orlando and then followed it up with a hat-trick in Durban last week against the Sharks.
All pretty much from out of nowhere.
Yet Marais is 100% correct in saying it was only a matter of time.
“When Warrick was given a chance in 2015’s Currie Cup, he was very good,” noted the Bulls mentor.
“Everybody expects a player that bursts onto the scene like that must deliver those showings weekly. In that tournament, not many knew him and they gave him space. Then we played the semifinal against Province and they shut him down.
“From there he had to learn about being adaptable and got injured a few times, so it wasn’t easy for him.”
Thankfully for South African rugby, Gelant seems ready to deliver even further on his promise.
“He’s playing well now again because he’s play more rugby,” said Marais.
“He’s getting his confidence up. Warrick is 22. He’ll only get better and better but he needed to go through a lot of things to understand when to kick and when to run. It’s a delicate balance.”
Is the Knysna native in line for a Green-and-Gold jersey?
“I’m sure he will. But Warrick’s just got to stick to what he’s doing. There are quite a few good fullbacks in the country but he won’t let the national side down,” said Marais.
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