Cameron Hanekom has revealed exactly what was expected of him when he was unleashed from the Springbok bench against the All Blacks on Saturday.
The Vodacom Bulls No 8 delivered another powerful cameo at FNB Stadium, underlining his value to Bok coach Rassie Erasmus.
After a lengthy road back from injury into the Bok squad, Hanekom has become an increasingly influential member of Erasmus’ match 23, with his impact off the bench again evident as the world champions beat New Zealand 29-24 to take a 2-1 series lead to Baltimore.
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Hanekom says the opportunity to play a part in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry has made his comeback all the more meaningful.
“It has been a very special experience so far. I think playing against the All Blacks in any capacity will always be special,” he said.
“This is my second game against them and the atmosphere in the stadium was crazy. The passionate way in which the supporters sang the national anthem was very special and we finished our last game on home soil on a good note.”
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Hanekom’s return to Test rugby has gathered momentum quickly.
After making his Vodacom URC comeback for the Bulls against Cardiff in March, he returned to the Bok jersey against England in July before scoring the winning try against Argentina in Buenos Aires in August.
Now, he is making his mark in the most fiercely contested rivalry in world rugby.
The 24-year-old explained that the Springboks’ plan was to put the All Blacks under pressure in the set-pieces before bringing on their replacements in the final quarter of the third Test.
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“We pride ourselves on our scrum work, rolling mauls and lineouts,” Hanekom said.
“There are many other things that we can still work on, but we ticked the boxes in most areas.
“From a personal point of view, I knew that I, like all our replacements, had an important job to do.
“That is to bring energy and help the guys who have already been on the field for 60 minutes. When I got the opportunity, I knew I just had to give it everything.”
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Photo: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images
The post Cam: I knew I had to give it everything appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Cameron Hanekom has revealed exactly what was expected of him when he was unleashed from the Springbok bench against the All Blacks on Saturday.
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