De Jager to be part RWC Springboks squad

LOOD de Jager was afforded the opportunity to play for the Springboks at the 2019 IRB Rugby World Cup (RWC), which will commence on September 21 in Japan.

The accolade was bestowed on him when his name was read out by president of South African Rugby Union Mark Alexander on August 26 in Johannesburg.

He is part of the 31-man squad who will represent his country at this most prestigious event.

The Springboks will play their first match against old rivals All Blacks on September 21.

But how did de Jager come this far in order to be one of the privileged players to be named by director of rugby Rassie Erasmus in the Springbok squad.

De Jager was born in Alberton, but furthered his schooling career at Laerskool Jan van Riebeeck and Hoërskool Hugenote in Springs.

He furthered his studies and rugby career at youth level for the Leopards and also played for North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom.

In 2012, he was included in the Leopards Currie Cup squad, but never made it onto the field of play.

As a 21-year-old, he performed well for the 2012 u-21 provincial side and was given a contract at Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

He was subsequently included in the Cheetahs final squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season.

In 2017, he received a contract from the Vodacom Blue Bulls on a one-year deal for the Super Rugby season.

On April 24, he announced he will be joining the Sale Sharks, a professional rugby union club in Greater Manchester, England, ahead of the 2019/2020 Premiership season.

In 2014, de Jager pulled the Springbok jersey over his head as a lock for the first time, making his debut against Wales in the first of two tests against the Northern hemisphere team on June 14 in Durban.

He earned his first cap from the bench when he replaced stalwart Bakkies Botha on lock and partnered up with Victor Matfield.

The then-Springbok head coach, Heyneke Meyer, said de Jager and Eben Etzebeth, who could return next week for the Scotland test in Port Elizabeth, are possibly the Bok locks of the future, together with the injured Pieter-Steph du Toit.

De Jager, a mountain at 2.05m and 125kg, said it is a dream come true for him to play for his country after all the injuries he had to overcome and to represent his country in Japan.