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'It is only when you play with these guys when you realise how good they are'
By Ian Cameron
For Grant de Jager, rugby has always been about chasing something bigger. The 21-year-old from Barberton grew up with Olympic dreams, though it took a single moment in 2016 to decide what shape they’d take.
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“I always wanted to go to the Olympics and at that time I was also a serious swimmer,” he said. “But on that day in 2016, we were watching the Rugby Sevens tournament at the Olympic Games in Rio and when our guys were on the podium, I told my mom that I want to represent them at the Olympics in future.
“When I got the call this year from coach Philip (Snyman) that I will be contracted I immediately phoned my mom and reminded her of that dream I shared with her.”
Nine years on, De Jager is living that dream. The fleet-footed outside back, who represented DHL Western Province at U19 and U21 level and starred for FNB Maties in the 2025 Varsity Cup, signed with the Blitzboks in September and has spent the past month immersing himself in their famously demanding environment.
“I have a firm belief in hard work and one thing I pride myself on is that I will always try and outwork everyone else on the field,” said De Jager. “That was the first thing that I picked up from the team since I joined and that is their willingness to work harder and harder.”
The Springbok Sevens setup is currently in full swing with preparations for the 2026 world series, but for De Jager the focus is closer to home — the HSBC SVNS Cape Town tournament at DHL Stadium on 6 and 7 December. Tickets for the event, South Africa’s only home leg, start at R250 and are available exclusively on Ticketmaster.
“I was a spectator at DHL Stadium last year when the Blitzboks won and it was such a magnificent occasion,” he recalled. “I could see how much fun the people in the party stands were having, mixed with the enjoyment and pride the rest of us had because the Blitzboks won in such commanding fashion.
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“Little did I know that it would become part of my future. I am not phoning my parents and booking plane tickets for them yet, but it would be such an honour to one day play for South Africa in our home tournament.”
For now, De Jager’s focus is on earning his stripes in a position that demands precision and graft.
“I am not getting ahead of myself – I will play as a hooker and the incumbents are Ryan Oosthuizen, who has played more than 50 tournaments, and David Britz, who has won the Currie Cup in his career,” he said. “It will be a great opportunity for me to learn from these experienced players and learn the ins and outs of the position. Work rate will not be an issue for me, just making sure I do my job well is things I will be looking to gain experience from Ryan and David from.”
De Jager’s first foray into sevens came earlier this year, when he helped the Springbok Sevens ‘A’ team win the Rugby Africa Sevens tournament in Mauritius — a performance that convinced Snyman to bring him into the senior fold.
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Winning in Mauritius was special, but the dream has always been to wear the Blitzbok jersey on home soil.
The team recently played six pre-season matches against Germany, with De Jager relishing the challenge. “It is only when you play with these guys when you realise how good they are.”