Jurenzo Julius has made the seamless transition from junior rugby to Springboks contender.
Image: Backpagepix
Jurenzo Julius earned the nickname “Boogeyman” during his schoolboy rugby days at Paul Roos Gymnasium because he was simply terrifying to play against.
Outside back Julius was bigger, faster and stronger than most of the schoolboys he came up against and was utterly dominant on attack and defence. The YouTube videos of Juries giving his peers nightmares is testimony of this.
But the “Boogeyman” has since showcased that he isn’t just a schoolyard bully after making an amazing rise through the ranks over the last 18 months.
The Namibian-born centre then joined the Sharks straight out of school and made his debut for the SA U20 side, playing 13 matches for the side. He was then part of the Currie Cup-winning Sharks team who beat the Lions in the final, and has now become a regular feature in their United Rugby Championship side.
Now Julius’ performances have been noticed by the Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, who recently invited the Sharks starlet to an alignment camp in Cape Town.
Julius’ career is currently moving at breakneck speed, and sometimes it could be overwhelming for a young player. But the 20-year-old seems to be taking it all in his stride.
“Everything has happened very quickly and I just need to stay calm and not get too excited. That is when things go wrong. It's just about staying calm and trusting the process,” Julius said.
“I thought I was going back to the U21s last year, but I went back to the Sharks where I played in the Currie Cup. I was very surprised, because I thought I would only play senior rugby this year.”
Julius is certainly also learning from the best at the Sharks, with Springbok centres Andre Esterhuizen, Lukhanyo Am and wing Makazole Mapimpi guiding him along on this journey.
However, Julius says it was his stint with the Junior Boks that has made the transition from junior rugby to senior rugby a lot easier.
“I couldn’t have asked to be in a better place at this moment. Guys like Andre Esterhuizen, Lukhanyo Am are guiding me and Makazole Mapimpi is helping me understand what it means to play with the team," he said.
“The environment at the Sharks is just helping me grow so much. I think it also played a role in where I am today. The speed of the game … how we train at the union has helped me a lot. The coaches and the team helped me to adapt and I feel that I’m in a good space.
“But for me the Junior Boks was the bridge between U20 rugby and the Currie Cup. The Currie Cup helped me get into that comfortable stage, starting in a final with much pressure and the cup on the line.
“As a junior, I got used to that feeling. When I got to the URC the pressure was a bit less and I just found my feet there.”
Now Julius has set his sights on higher honours, but the alignment camp was an eye opener as he got to see first hand what it actually takes to become a Springbok.
The alignment camp was sort of based on what is expected of you and what you need to do to be a Springbok and stay a Springbok.
“At first I just wanted to get into the alignment camp squad. That was the first step," he said.
“But to see how they do things, how the Springboks handle themselves and the details that go into the sessions, was an eye opener. These lessons I want to take back to my union and hopefully fight for higher honours.”
@JohnGoliath82