With his first Vodacom United Rugby Championship match under his belt, Emirates Lions flyhalf Kade Wolhuter is keen to build on that success as he looks forward to a full campaign to showcase his talent.
The 23-year-old put a frustrating few years behind him and made his mark in the No 10 jersey for the Lions as they beat Ulster in their opening match, and with Wolhuter playing the kind of rugby that saw him widely recognised as a future star before a series of ACL injuries sidelined him. He contributed a try, two conversions and two penalties in that game.
And he believes this season of the URC represents a new start to his career.
“It’s been a long and difficult five years of my career and not quite what I expected. But I think it’s good. I think my setbacks and disappointments are going to do me well in the long run. It’s made me work even harder. I don’t regret anything. I’m looking forward to what the future has in store for me. That’s the exciting part. I can hopefully now have a full campaign and play really good rugby and take it from there. I’m kind of looking at it as my career starting again. I’m really optimistic about what’s to come,” said Wolhuter.
“The whole aim for me to come to the Emirates Lions was to get game time, so I’m very positive going into this new season. I really want to get a full season behind me. I’m just looking forward to playing rugby again and putting my name out there and to be able to fight for a starting place in the No 10 jersey.”
The young star is a great admirer of the intensity of the URC and the role it’s played in preparing a new generation of young South African stars for the step up to a place in the national team.
“What the Vodacom United Rugby Championship has brought is a lot more Test match type rugby. There are a bunch of young players who’ve made that step up and really put their hands up. I think when you get thrown in the deep end like that it’s a simple case of sink or swim. I thrive under that. I enjoy the pressure of that 10 jersey. I enjoy leading a team and being the general in that position. It’s a privilege to feel that pressure and not everyone is able to experience that. It’s something I’m looking forward to getting more of this season.
“The youngsters coming through into the Springbok set-up now like Jordan (Hendrikse), Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) or Quan (Horn) have done exceptionally well. So I think there is opportunity. Seeing them become Springboks gives me a little bit of hope. I still have dreams I want to achieve and my biggest dream is to become a Springbok. That is the drive behind me at the moment.
“But the main focus now is getting a full season under my belt and building on form and consistency, which is something I haven’t really had over the past few years.”
Wolhuter’s excitement for what lies ahead is also fuelled by the constant support and encouragement he says he’s received from some big names in the game.
“The support system around me has played a major role during my injuries. I’ve been fortunate to become friends with some really great players who’ve taught me a lot. Someone like Steven Kitshoff has always had my back. Through all of my injuries he kept telling me how much he backs me, which is very special coming from a player who went to the same high school (Paul Roos Gimnasium) as me and has won Rugby World Cups. Neethling Fouché and Ruhan Nel have also helped me so much on and off the field. And I’m really enjoying being at the Emirates Lions and learning from my childhood hero, Morné Steyn. Just to be able to pick his brain, because he reads a game so well, has been incredible.”
The anticipation he has for his own season is matched by his sense that the Emirates Lions are on the brink of something special in Season 4 of the URC. The Johannesburg team will similarly look towards a full campaign and making the top eight play-offs for the first time after missing out by one spot over the last two seasons.
“We’re close. It just takes one or two wins away from home and one or two vital victories for us to really be able to stamp our authority on this competition. I think we’re a lot closer to the play-offs than we think at times. It’s perhaps just more about stamping our authority early on in the competition and picking up those points.”
The Lions face Edinburgh Rugby at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday (1.45pm kick-off, local time)
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