‘No hard feelings’ as Maxwane looks to grow with Lions

New Lions wing Rabz Maxwane bears no grudges after closing the Cheetahs door behind him, despite being overlooked earlier this year.

Maxwane, who was the top try-scorer in the Pro14 competition in the 2018/19 season, was one of the Lions’ big-name signings at the start of the lockdown period.

“There are no hard feelings towards the Cheetahs at all. They helped me in my career and they pushed me to what I am today,” Maxwane said.

The 24-year-old player, who previously also briefly turned out for Western Province and the Blue Bulls, was a try-scoring machine for the Cheetahs, dotting down 21 times in 35 games.

“The Cheetahs contributed a lot by giving me game time and helping me with small things I needed for my career,” he said.

“If anything, I’m grateful towards them for the opportunities they handed me.”
Maxwane, whose first name is Sibahle, said the nickname ‘Rabz’ had started in primary school.

“As time went by it was a thing of ‘hey, I don’t like this name’, but once you show your dislike to a name, it sticks,” he said.

“It was actually one of my close friends who gave me that name, and from then I got used to it.”

Entering the Lions set-up had been exciting, Maxwane said, though it had mostly been “a lot of running and gym”, with local players only recently resuming non-contact training.

“I’m really looking forward to the real thing, putting my body into service, and making sure I look and feel good,” he said.

While he did not feel the structures at the Lions differed much from the Cheetahs, he believed there was always something new to learn.

“With the Lions it’s been the most professional set-up I have been in,” he said

“I was so young when I was at the Bulls and Province, but Province was a great foundation for junior players trying to start a career.

“They turned me into something else, and I believe the Lions will make me even greater.”

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