MARK KEOHANE lauds two-time World Cup winner and Vodacom URC champion Damian Willemse as a treasure for the Stormers, Springboks and SA rugby.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane praises Willemse’s evolution from ‘teenage sensation to senior statesman’, after celebrating his a centesimal Stormers look towards Dragons at Cape City Stadium on Saturday evening.
In line with Keohane, Willemse belongs to an elite minority who started their skilled careers at simply 18 years outdated, debuting for the Stormers 301 days after his 18th birthday.
His breakthrough second got here months later with a mesmerising solo strive towards the Vodacom Bulls at Newlands, asserting his arrival with a confidence that is still his trademark practically a decade later.
Keohane highlights Willemse’s outstanding achievement checklist at simply 27 years outdated: Western Province’s 2017 Currie Cup triumph, the Stormers’ inaugural URC title, Rugby Championship success and changing into the youngest participant to win two World Cup medals.
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What really units Willemse aside, in Keohane’s view, is his uncommon loyalty. Regardless of receiving profitable affords from abroad golf equipment and the Bulls in 2022, the versatile again signed an unprecedented five-year extension with the Stormers three years – prioritising satisfaction over monetary achieve.
“Damian Willemse is the child who dazzled and bamboozled the Bulls in scoring one of many nice particular person Currie Cup tries at Newlands in 2017. On Saturday, in his a centesimal Stormers look, the child was very a lot the senior statesman,” he writes.
“He’s among the many unique membership of gamers who’ve scored tries and kicked drop targets, conversions and penalties for Western Province, the Stormers and the Springboks.
“His dedication to the sport is emphasised by way of his enjoying minutes. He offers all of it, and he has began in 94 of his 100 matches for the Stormers, averaging 73 minutes a sport.
“Willemse is a present to the sport and he’s a treasure for the Stormers and South Africa.”
Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Photos
