Many moons ago, the University of the Western Cape’s rugby team adopted the motto “Never Quit”.
It is a motto that perfectly sums up one of Udubs’ former stars Herschel Jantjies, who will square off against All Blacks star TJ Perenara when the Stormers face the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.
Jantjies’s never-quit-attitude has seen him rise to become one of the most exciting scrum-halves in South Africa at the moment.
Coach Robbie Fleck reveals that in the build-up to last weekend’s 35-8 win over the Jaguares at Newlands, Jantjies suffered a knock during training and while everyone else was worried about him, he brushed it off and then took the field on the weekend to produce a scrumhalf master class.
OVER: Jantjies scores for UWC. Photo: Supplied
Fleck explains: “He [Jantjies] is a fighter and he stays in the fight the whole time. He’s got a great attitude.
“He took massive knock during training [last week], but he just gets up and plays on.
“He’s a typical scrumhalf.”
Of his form, Fleck adds: “He played very well [against the Jaguares]. It’s just time in the saddle for young guys - giving them the confidence that they are backed.
“They are playing with all these experienced guys.
“We know how dangerous he is around the fringes and he showed that again.
“He’s been doing the basics doing well, he keeps the team on the front foot and asks a lot of questions of the defence.
“We’re very happy with him at the moment.”
ENERGY: Coach Robbie Fleck. Photo: Supplied
Fleck wants Jantjies and the other youngsters in the team to energise the squad and says: “When you get the balance right in the group - you have the core senior players and young guys that bring the energy.
“And that’s what they [the youngsters] are responsible for.
“Let the senior guys lead and the youngsters must bring energy.
TOUGH FOE: Kiwi No.9 TJ Perenara. Photo: Supplied
“When you go to New Zealand you’ve got to go there with confidence and energy and for some of them it is their first tour.”