Clayton Blommetjies believes one of his most important jobs at the Cheetahs is helping the next generation fulfil their potential.
As one of the most experienced players in the Free State squad, the 35-year-old fullback says he’s determined to pass on the lessons he has learned during a career that has taken him from the Bulls and Cheetahs to the Stormers, Scarlets and Leicester Tigers.
“I’d like to share the experience I’ve built up over the years,” said Blommetjies, who has made 160 appearances for the Cheetahs since 2014, with a few detours in-between.
“You learn from every person you play with. I want to pass on what I learned from someone like coach Frans Steyn to guys like Michael Annies and Cohen Jasper.”
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Blommetjies says mentoring the younger backs isn’t just about rugby skills, but also about helping them make better decisions under pressure.
“I also want to help keep them calm,” he explained. “Sometimes the back three can lose their heads when something happens in a match and they move away from the game plan.
“Michael Annies is someone who, when he gets the ball, just wants to run. There are times when you need to tell the guys around you: ‘Let’s just relax a bit. Let’s make sure we’re playing in the right areas of the field.’”
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The experienced fullback lined up alongside Annies and Jasper in the Cheetahs’ 29-27 Currie Cup victory over the Lions last weekend, with the Free Staters now turning their attention to Friday’s clash against the Sharks XV in Bloemfontein.
“We’d like to get five points from the match and build momentum for the rest of the Currie Cup season.
“At the end of the day, we want to win the Currie Cup. We want to see the stadium full again. We want the people of Bloemfontein to come out and support us. We want to make Bloemfontein proud.”
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Photo: Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images
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