New doors open for Springbok fullback, Warrick Gelant
Warwick has a host of professional rugga experience under his belt and looks forward to competing again.
THE recent transfer window offered by SA Rugby to contracted players has opened the door for new heroes to emerge.
Rugby analysts are suggesting that one of these may well be Springbok fullback, Warrick Gelant, initially seen on local pitches at the 2013 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival.
After the 21-day ‘transfer window’ ended earlier this month, many big-name players did not opt out and will remain with their unions and franchises for the present time.
This followed the player exodus after the 2019 Rugby World Cup left many local franchises scrambling to attract game-breakers.
The departures, however, have opened the door for new stars to emerge.
Pundits are suggesting that it has offered Warrick, already a Bok fringe player, the opportunity to prove himself as a possible long-term successor to Willie le Roux.
He confirmed last week (May 21) that he will leave the Bulls after more than six years, to join the Stormers.
PHOTO: Tracey van den Aardweg
He will fill the void left by fullback Dillyn Leyds, who will join the French club, La Rochelle.
Warrick’s acquisition gives its head coach, John Dobson, the bonus of a ready-made product to join his talented backline.
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From his early rugby-playing days at Hoërskool Outeniqua in George, Warrick’s natural attacking abilities and flair were identified, earning him SA Schools, Junior Springboks, Blitzboks, SA ‘A’ and ultimately Springbok colours.
He had a big year in 2014, his first year out of school.
After representing Tuks in the Varsity Cup and the Bulls in the Vodacom Cup, Warrick was named in the SA U20s squad that competed in the Junior World Championship in New Zealand, where South Africa finished runners-up to England.
After the tournament, he was included in the SA Sevens squad for the 2014-15 Sevens World Series campaign, winning both of the tournaments he played, in Dubai and South Africa.
He was included in the Bulls’ squad for the 2015 Super Rugby season, although his Sevens commitments ruled him out of the start of the campaign.
Warrick was part of the SA U20 squad that toured to Argentina that May and, upon the team’s return, he was named in the final squad to compete at the 2015 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.
Gifted with the ball in hand, Warrick featured regularly for the Bulls during the 2016 Super Rugby season and was one of the stars of the 2016 Currie Cup.
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He carried his form into 2017 and was named in the wider Springboks squad for the mid-year internationals. He did not make the team, but was selected for the South Africa A squad to face the French Barbarians.
Warrick top scored with 10 tries in the 2017 Currie Cup, to be named Currie Cup 2017 Back of the Year at the Blue Bulls awards ceremony.
The electric fullback earned his call-up to the Springbok squad for the November Tests against Ireland, France and Italy, to come off the bench for his Test debut against Italy.
He featured in all four of the Springboks June tests and missed just one of the Bulls’ 16 Super Rugby matches in 2018 before injury ruled him out of the Rugby Championship. His contract with the Blue Bulls was extended until 2020.
Last year Warrick was selected for the victorious 2019 Rugby World Cup squad, which defeated England in the final.
At the start of this current season, just a month before lockdown, Warrick ran out for his 50th Super Rugby cap against a strong Jaguares outfit when the Bulls hosted the Argentinians.
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