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Banned ex-Springbok Elton Jantjies breaks his silence

Elton Jantjies during his Springboks career (Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Ex-Springboks out-half Elton Jantjies has broken his silence about what he is doing following his four-year ban from playing. It was January 2024 when the 46-cap South African international was suspended following his positive June 2023 test for Clenbuterol, the banned substance that can help with weight loss and increase muscle mass.

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Jantjies, who had finished up a stint at Agen in Pro D2, protested his innocence over the adverse finding, but the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport confirmed that no hearing into his case was held and he was suspended for four years.

Now 34, Jantjies is coaching at Rugga School, a youths rugby programme in Johannesburg, and he has now made a lengthy appearance on Behind the Ruck, the podcast hosted by Rudy Paige and Juan de Jongh, two fellow former Springboks.

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    In the 72-minute episode, Jantjies outlined what is keeping him busy with his playing career likely all but over. “I’m very busy in terms of my own individual development. Staying fit and healthy, you know,” he began.

    “That is one of my biggest things since my dad, you know, since I was a bit overweight and chubby and stuff like that (as a youngster). So those are things that was instilled in me at that age and I just continued doing it over the years. It keeps me happy and keeps me at peace, you know, being in shape.

    “Not that I’m in good shape, I don’t know. But you know, just from a psychological point of view as well. I mean, if a lot of guys were in my position, they probably would have shot themselves or committed suicide. Or they would have gone off the rails, you know. But I just keep doing what I’m doing. What makes me healthy and puts me at peace and where everybody smiles.”

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    Jantjies added that keeping fit was his mental therapy. “Definitely. Because I think normally when you look at things like that, you laugh at it. When you see social media or when people go to certain places to find it. For example, there is Tyson Fury. There’s Mike Tyson. There’s big sportsmen, big sportsmen that uses the training for their mindset.

    “For me personally, I think it’s therapy. I think it’s good medicine. And it’s my medicine to train and not even think about the rugby side but just keep on doing, staying healthy and fit and hopefully I can inspire the younger players that I am working with.”

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    Comments

    16 Comments
    R
    RM 92 days ago

    Come on, it's an open secret in world rugby that there's a steroid problem in Sth African rugby. That infamous photo of the Syringeboks with their jerseys off says it all.

    L
    Left Rightout 91 days ago

    It's an open secret the rest of the world suffer from eating sour grapes. Wait I think there is a new rule coming this year: "The total scrum weight must be under 800kg."

    R
    RD 92 days ago

    Oh yes of course there’s a steroid problem in SA rugby, and it’s an open secret, wow you are a genius, sorry I meant to say another sore loser!

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    J
    JW 22 minutes ago
    Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year

    It really all depends of how much overseas players would be paid (by NZR) to play for the All Blacks. I’ve not heard a peep on this front from any author suggesting it’s a good idea.


    If it’s nothing (a player gets his weekly paycheck from the club and thats it (which we know is definitely not the case in Ireland and France, or SA even I think?), then maybe it would retain more SR level players given that they’ll be getting the “AB” component (which is about where things stand, Burke for instance would have had to had his Sader contract upgraded to an AB one (think above Pero levels) to be on similar money.


    I’d having to imagine if a player is getting paid to do nothing over the international windows though, they are going to want to get paid extra for appear for the ABs, so in this situation, it’s hard to see many players being retained, yes.


    I’m pretty sure they flew to Japan and met in person.


    I’ve heard/had these discussions numerous times. I don’t think theres anyway to judge the interest that would be retain in SR. For one, it might be a more entertaining league as a result, as the JRLO is compared to Europe, despite it obviously being a lesser standard.


    If SRP is of a lesser standard and now able to use Japanese and American players to bolster teams, perhaps those markets more than make up for the downturn in NZ and Aus? Perhaps it gives NZR flexibility to create a more fit for purpose interdomestic competition, and interest actually increases? All you might need is a proper pathway from school to pro?


    Razor asked NZR to keep an open mind. Did NZR answer any of these questions to themself?

    23 Go to comments
    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

    Yeah of course it can be, it manages a good commerical outcome when 100 million people are following it. I’m saying rugby is no where near even remotely close to getting the payoff you’re talking about, never mind the distinct lack of anyway to implement it.


    So you’re going for the dirty approach. I’m not surprised, it’s the only way to easily implement it right now. I wouldn’t see the benefit to doing that myself. A draft, if purely feasible in it’s own right, doesn’t need to provide commercial benefit at all (if it works, that’s all it needs to do, as it no doubt did back in america’s heyday). But without the advantageous backing of sponsors and interest levels, if you pick the wrong method to implement it, like a dirty approach, you do potential harm to it’s acceptance.


    The aspect’s of the approach you chose that I don’t like, is that the franchises are the ones spending the money of the U20’s only for there opposition to get first dibs. Personally, I would much prefer an investment into a proper pathway (which I can’t really see SR U20s being at all in anycase). I’m not exactly sure how the draft works in america, but I’m pretty sure it’s something like ‘anyone whishing to be pro has to sign for the draft’, and results in maybe 10 or 20% of those being drafted. The rest (that accumulative 80/90% year on year) do go back into club, pronvincial, or whatever they have there, and remain scouted and options to bring in on immediate notice for cover etc. You yes, you draw on everybody, but what is generating your interest in the drafties in the first plaec?


    This is your missing peace. If some come through school and into the acadamies, which would be most, you’ve currently got three years of not seeing those players after they leave school. Those that miss and come in through club, maybe the second year theyre in the draft or whatever, aged 20/21, you’re going to have no clue how they’ve been playing. NPC is a high level, so any that are good enough to play that would already be drafted, but some late bloomers you might see come in NPC but then Sky’s not going to broadcast that anymore. So what’s generating this massive interest you’re talking about, and most importantly, how does it tie in with the other 7 clubs that will be drafting (and providing) players outside of NZ?


    Is the next step to pump tens of millions into SRP U20s? That would be a good start for investment in the youth (to get onto international levels of pathway development) in the first place but are fans going to be interested to the same level as what happens in america? Baseball, as mentioned, has the minor leagues, if we use that model it hasn’t to be broad over the whole pacific, because you’re not having one draft right, they all have to play against each other. So here they get drafted young and sent out into a lower level thats more expansive that SR, is there interest in that? There would be for large parts, but how financially viable would it be. Twiggy tried to get a league started and NPC clubs joined. BOP and Taranaki want SR representation, do we have a mix of the biggest clubs and provinces/states make a couple of divisions? I think that is far more likely to fan interest and commerical capabilities than an U20 of the SR teams. Or ofc Uni fits a lot of options. I’ve not really read anything that has tried to nut out the feasability of a draft, it can certainly work if this spitballing is anything to go by, but I think first theres got to be a need for it far above just being a drafting level.

    36 Go to comments
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