‘Weird and uncertain’ Covid-19 won’t ever kill Julian’s spirit

If a life-threatening neck injury four years ago couldn’t kill the spirit of former Springbok prop Julian Redelinghuys, then neither will the Covid-19 pandemic.

Asked this week whether the current lockdown was the biggest challenge he had faced since a neck injury ended his career in 2016, Redelinghuys said he was trying to see the brighter side of the situation.

“No doubt what’s happening in our country at the moment is weird and uncertain, but I always see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said the Lions scrum coach.

“For instance…as the only man in the house (together with his wife and two small daughters), it’s great family time.”

Redelinghuys, who earned eight Springbok caps and played 47 Super Rugby games for the Lions, was also grateful that the union was able to pay full salaries this month, though the situation might be re-addressed in the coming weeks.

“We had a big conference call this week which included 51 people, ranging from players to management to employees, where we had open discussions,” he said.

Conditioning coach Rupert Oberholster had done well, according to Redelinghuys, by working out individual training programmes for all the players.

“Our CEO, Rudolf Straeuli, and coach Ivan van Rooyen have also been brilliant in addressing current issues, and what I’m missing the most at the moment is the brotherhood on the training field,” he said.

Redelinghuys believed awareness around the ongoing crisis could be used for a good cause.

“If I see all these videos being displayed they could be utilised in some way and the profits could go to children who are less privileged than most of us,” he said.

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