21 October 2026
Vodacom Bulls loose forward Cameron Hanekom is keeping his feet firmly on the ground despite hitting a rich vein of form ahead of Saturday's clash against Ulster. The rising star has been instrumental in the Pretoria franchise's recent surge, capturing a Man of the Match performance against the Lions before delivering another powerhouse display in their 56-20 Champions Cup win over Stade Français.
Despite the recent plaudits, the 24-year-old number eight remains deeply focused on refinement. Hanekom acknowledged that there are still technical areas in his game that require immediate attention following his recent injury layoff.
“Some of them I didn’t fix,” Hanekom said of the tactical errors he sought to rectify after the Lions encounter. “That’s the luck of the game, at least, that we can get another opportunity to go out there and work on the things that need work.”
The bruising loose forward is intentionally guarding against complacency as the Loftus Versfeld faithful grow increasingly expectant. He insists that individual and collective momentum can easily stall without a continuous work ethic.
“The confidence is coming slowly but surely, but I’ll never be over-confident,” Hanekom added. “There’s always space for improvement, and I’m always willing to learn.”
Adaptability remains central to Hanekom’s rugby philosophy as the Bulls prepare to host northern hemisphere opposition. He believes that strict rigidity on the field can stifle a player's effectiveness against dynamic defensive structures.
“I wouldn’t say I have a set-in-stone way of playing,” he explained. “Every team gives you different pictures, and you must be able to adapt fast enough to do what’s coming your way.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming weekend fixture, Hanekom issued a stern warning to his teammates. He expects an incredibly physical test from an Ulster outfit that always travels with a highly structured game plan.
“Ulster are always a class act,” Hanekom warned. “They’ve got a good team, they’ve got a good system. Maybe a slow start, but you never know what happens. We must just remember what we’re capable of, but also not think that it’s just going to happen for us.”