Fred Zeilinga eager to make Lions No 10 jersey his own

Lions flyhalf Fred Zeilinga is possibly set for an extended run in the starting side when the local teams resume their United Rugby Championship campaign in the new year.

Zeilinga had been on the fringes of the team since joining the union in March, finding himself third in the pecking order behind starting flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse and Eddie Fouche, who joined the side on loan for the URC.

However, Hendrikse and Fouche both picked up injuries, which opened the door for Zeilinga to start and put in a superb performance in the Lions’ last URC match of the year against the Stormers, which could now give the coaching staff a good headache.

ALSO READ: Currie Cup 2022 to kick off in January – All the fixtures

“I thought the game went really well for me. The whole team had a good lead up – we had four or five weeks of great training – and I think that helped the whole team play well against the Stormers,” explained Zeilinga.

“That also helped me because if everyone around you plays well the flyhalf just needs to make the right decisions and get the ball into the right people’s hands, and we will score tries.”

It has been a tough battle back to full fitness for Zeilinga, who didn’t play any rugby for over a year after leaving the Canon Eagles at the start of the Covid pandemic.

ALSO READ: Five players looking to impress Bok bosses in 2022

“Unfortunately I had to come back from Japan due to Covid and coaching staff changes at the club I was at, so it was a forced decision to come back and Covid played a big part in that,” said Zeilinga.

“So after a year-and-a-half not playing rugby I was fortunate enough to get to the Lions in March, but I was a bit unfit when I arrived and a bit rusty, so the first six months were really difficult. I had a few opportunities to play and it was ok, it didn’t go that well.

“But since then I have gotten a lot fitter, a lot more confident, and I have started enjoying my rugby again. I have been training really well the past few months and that gave the coaches the confidence to pick me and give me a go against the Stormers.”

ALSO READ: WATCH – All 10 tries vying to be named Test Try of the Year

Zeilinga will now hope to build on that showing and stake a claim to the Lions number 10 jersey going forward.

“I would love to stay at the Lions and hopefully get more opportunities to prove to them what I have got,” he said.

“It was really unfortunate for Jordan and Eddie who got injured, but it opened a door for me again and hopefully I can use the opportunity it has given me.”