Rising Bulls star Cameron Hanekom is on his first Bok tour. Picture: Lee Warren / Gallo Images
Duane Vermeulen believes that Cameron Hanekom’s chance in the green and gold will come, but patience is key for the young Bulls loose forward.
Having been overlooked for the Rugby Championship, despite outstanding form for the Bulls in the URC, Hanekom is finally getting his chance for the Boks as an injury replacement for Damian Willemse.
The 22-year-old, who was part of the alignment camps earlier in the year, will now compete with Jasper Wiese and Elrigh Louw for a starting place at No 8, as the Springboks look to finish the year strongly against Scotland, England and Wales.
Vermeulen, along with many in the South African rugby community, rates Hanekom highly, but said during a press conference in Edinburgh that the bruiser would need to bide his time before getting his first run for the Boks.
“Cameron is a really good player,” Vermeulen said.
“I’ve been following him this season and he has been playing really well for the Bulls. Those guys need to be rewarded, and I’m not saying rewarded in giving them a chance to play.
“Coming on this end-of-year tour is obviously a good opportunity for him to learn what goes on in our setup and how we go about our days and our week into a Test match.
“If he gets an opportunity, that will be fantastic, but if he doesn’t, then the guys are still looking at him and he’s been putting up his hand.
“He just needs to be patient. There are still a couple of guys ahead of him playing there and playing well, so you have to be patient and wait your turn.
“Anything can happen, and your turn might come next week. And then you have to understand what it’s all about to be in this team and represent your country. It’s a great learning curve for him, and, hopefully, there is still loads to see from him in the future.”
Bulls coach Jake White recently hailed the loose forward’s ability to play across the back row as one of his greatest strengths. Comfortable at both No 6 and No 8, Hanekom also offers versatility off the bench.
“If we give you an opportunity to get into the mix and you can play more than one position, then obviously that’s great,” Vermeulen said.
“If you’re versatile and you can slot in anywhere, it gives you that little bit of freedom in picking your team. Only time will tell. We’ll have to wait and see where he slots in.”
Another twist in the Bok plans is captain Siya Kolisi’s potential shift to No 8, following his impressive showing for the Sharks. That would allow Hanekom to be included in the same back row, as an openside flank.
“Siya actually played well at No 8. He’s quick off the base, he’s explosive … you might see different things [in selection],” Vermeulen added.
“We actually experiment quite a bit.
“Out of the squad of 45 guys in the Rugby Championship, I think we used 40 or so guys, so we did experiment quite a bit and gave guys a taste of international rugby to see where they are.
“There is still a long journey to go until the next World Cup and we’re still building to get the right guys in the right spots to get your perfect team.”
This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission. For the original story click here.
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