Cheswill Jooste’s stunning Vodacom United Rugby Championship debut was exactly the kind of moment he had dreamt about as a boy playing touch rugby in the streets of Vredenburg on a Sunday night. And it was exactly the performance Vodacom Bulls coach Johann Ackermann believed the new young star was capable of.
The 19-year-old winger scored twice in his team’s 53-40 victory over the Ospreys in their opening Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixture at Loftus Versfeld this past weekend.
“Growing up, I always watched famous players like Bryan Habana and Kurt-Lee Arendse scoring tries for the Vodacom Bulls, and contributing to this team was a dream come true,” said Jooste.
It showed the confidence Ackermann had in a young player who already made an impact for the Vodacom Bulls in the Carling Currie Cup, and of course who was a feature of the Junior Springboks’ World Rugby Under-20 Championship victory this year, where Ackermann also worked with Jooste as a coaching consultant for the team.
Jooste said he was well prepared by Ackermann and the senior Vodacom Bulls players for his first taste of Vodacom United Rugby Championship competition.
“Playing in a top tournament like this, there is massive excitement for me. I had a chat with Canan Moodie about the intensity of the games and the physicality of them, and that’s what I focused on in the pre-season, to get those things in order to perform at my best when the opportunity arises.
“This was my first senior pre-season, and it was very tough and challenging. But fortunately for me, I worked with coach Johan at the SA Under-20s and had a pre-season there with him, so I knew a bit about what to expect and what he expects from me. Coach Johan has always said to me to just be myself, express myself and enjoy it on the field.”
That expression came to the fore at Loftus this past weekend from a young player who seems about to make a huge impact in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this season.
But the residents of Vredenburg could’ve already told you that from what they saw all those years ago on those Sunday nights on their streets.