Ricardo Loubscher predicted Quan Horn would become a Springbok

Springbok in waiting Quan Horn was told from the moment that he stepped onto the professional rugby stage that he would play for the national team, and now he might just do that against Wales this coming weekend.

Horn was selected as one of 11 uncapped players in the 35-man Bok training squad for their first international of the season at Twickenham this weekend, and he is now in line to be selected for the match 23, with the side set to be named on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media last week, the outside back explained that it was the belief shown in him by his backline coach at the Lions, Ricardo Loubscher, that inspired him to work hard day in and day out to realise his goal of becoming a Bok.

Good relationship

“I have a very good relationship with coach Ricky. He helps me at work every day, he gives feedback. From the first day I stepped into the senior side, he took me in. He told me I would make it, and that I’d become a Springbok,” said Horn.

“From that day, I worked hard at my game. He gave feedback on everything, my attacking game, my play under the high ball, and my defence. He was there to support and help me.”

With the Wales Test falling outside the international window the Boks are without all of their European-based players, as well as the Bulls players who have made the United Rugby Championship final.

A second Bok squad will thus be named after the Welsh Test, with all players available for selection for the incoming series against Ireland and Portugal, and the Rugby Championship.

Opportunity to impress

Horn is thus keenly aware that he needs to impress the coaching staff in training and in the match if he is picked, so that he has a shot of making it into the second squad, and he has been taking as much as he can from the experienced players in the current squad.

“There are quality players who have won two World Cups in a row, so that speaks for itself. Guys like Jesse (Kriel) have a massive workload and learning from his experience, what he says during training sessions and all those things, I want to take that in,” explained Horn.

“I am not complete as a player, but there are a lot of areas of my game I can develop. I want to improve everything I bring to the table, and the Springboks can help me do that.”

Surprise messages

Horn also missed the initial announcement of the Bok squad, as it was made after midnight on the weekend of the Lions final United Rugby Championship pool match, which saw him wake up to plenty of messages in the morning.

“It’s a funny story how everything happened. After that Stormers game, I went straight to bed because I was very tired and switched my phone off,” said Horn.

“The next morning, I woke up and there were a lot of missed calls, messages and everything. I didn’t know what was happening. I checked the messages and saw everyone saying ‘congratulations’.

“Then my dad phoned me and said: ‘Well done, but the hard work starts now. Being selected is not always (it), you will be in the mix, but you have to work hard to stay there.’ That is the hardest thing.”