Warrick Gelant keen to showcase his skills in new role against Wallabies

Springbok utility back Warrick Gelant is champing at the bit to get stuck into the Wallabies and is excited to show off a different skill set when the teams meet in their Rugby Championship clash at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

Gelant, who has plied his trade primarily at fullback over his rugby career, will start for the Boks on the right wing, with him the fourth different player to start in the position so far this season.

“Playing at wing is an amazing opportunity for me to test out the different skill sets of my game. I think the opportunity is there to showcase what I can do in a different role, with different responsibilities and I am looking forward to that challenge,” said Gelant.

“I am just excited to play against Australia. I am playing with guys that I know very well, so I am really looking forward to the game this weekend.”

Super Rugby

Despite the Boks being favourites, their struggles to get a positive result in Australia makes for an interesting match-up, with Gelant admitting that they don’t know the opposition as well as they used to.

“The Wallabies are a quality side and they are going to pose a different threat (from what the Boks have faced so far this year). What makes it even more difficult is that we haven’t played in Super Rugby over the past few years, so we haven’t really experienced how the Australian teams play,” said Gelant.

“So that will be a threat in itself. But we can only focus on ourselves, we are also a threat, we are in a good space at the moment and as backline players we are gelling well at the moment and I think it will be an exciting game on Saturday.”

Asked whether he will get the freedom to play, or if he will be chasing up and unders all day, Gelant claimed that the team will be sticking to the game plan on the day.

“We have the freedom to play and express ourselves. But the way the team plays works for us and we are a tight-knit group when it comes to that,” explained Gelant.