Could the Springboks lose their rising star to Wales?
Whether Cameron Hanekom will be tempted to change his allegiance to Wales after not being selected for the Springboks remains uncertain.
When the Springboks announced their latest squad for the end-of-year tour, many agreed that rising Bulls talent Cameron Hanekom was the unluckiest uncapped player to be left out.
Hanekom has been one of the standout domestic performers in South African rugby ever since making his debut at the start of last season, and many pundits felt he could be in line for a Springbok debut during the November Tests.
The 22-year-old was nominated for the URC Player of the Year award last season, but despite knocking on the Springbok door, Rassie Erasmus has opted to stick with the likes of Jasper Wiese and Elrigh Louw to cover No 8.
What shouldn’t be forgotten is that Hanekom qualifies to play for Wales through his grandmother, who was born there, and apparently Welsh coach Warren Gatland has been keeping an eye on him.
It’s highly unlikely that Hanekom would feel he needs to switch allegiances at this stage of his career, and earlier this year Bulls coach Jake White also quickly moved to shut down any speculation that Hanekom could be poached.
“He’s signed till 2027,” the Bulls’ director of rugby said. “There’s no way I’d release him from his contract. I’m planning like I’ll have him around for the next four seasons minimum, which coincides with the remainder of my tenure.
“It’s our job to ensure he’s looked after and enjoys his rugby here and doesn’t have aspirations to play for anyone else. It’s one of those things. I talk confidently that I don’t see him wanting to go and we certainly don’t want him to go. One season doesn’t make him, though, and I think he appreciates that.”
Welsh eligibility a factor to be aware of for Springbok prospect Cameron Hanekom
When Hanekom’s Welsh eligibility first came to light, White revealed he was caught by surprise.
“I didn’t know until one of the BBC commentators told me at training!” he explained. “He said ‘Did you know this kid is Welsh qualified?’ and the next day I read in the paper he’s got a grandmother who qualifies him for the Welsh team.
“I think that’s a sign of the times. I don’t think it’s going to be the last time we get a player in South Africa that’s qualified for another country. Obviously, he’s a great talent. He was voted the best player in a U20s tournament a couple of years back.
White added: “He’s been a good find for the public, but we knew he was in our system and that it was always inevitable he would come through into our mix.”