Vodacom Bulls flanker Cameron Hanekom had just walked away with an armful of awards at the annual Bulls Awards ceremony when he smiled and declared: “Watch this space, I’m coming back with a bang!”
Hanekom, of course, was referring to his disappointment at tearing his hamstring in the semifinal of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, an injury that put paid to his Springbok chances for several months.
It was the second year in a row that the URC playoffs claimed his chances - with a knee injury last season in the final against Glasgow Warriors stopping him from becoming a Bok.
Hanekom eventually did become a Springbok off the bench against Wales last November, but was hoping to continue that this year when the injury struck.
He was a big winner on Wednesday night’s Bulls awards, walking away with Fans Player of the Year, Investec Champions Cup Forward of the Year, Investec Champions Cup Player of the Year and Vodacom United Rugby Championship Forward of the Year in an exceptional sweep of the trophies on offer.
INJURY WAS A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW
Afterwards, all smiles and still a bit shy from the glory, Hanekom was in good spirits, admitting it made up for the disappointment of not being able to play for the Boks.
“I'm not going to lie, it's been tough. It's this setback on top of last year's setback as well. So, mentally, it's been a bit difficult. But, I mean, at the end of the day, I can't blame anyone or so. It's rugby and that's how life goes. At the end of the day, I must just pick myself up and know that there's a reason for everything that happens in life.
“That's my motivation at the moment, just to get back stronger and to just overcome what has happened in the past. It's been a mental battle, but I've worked through it and I'm looking at the goal ahead. Hopefully, that is December and I'm going to be back with a bang.”
The fans have spoken! Cameron Hanekom - your @Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby Fans’ Player of the Year after anextraordinary display on the field! 🐂 pic.twitter.com/LVtdVrCl0w
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) August 13, 2025
DARK SPACES
Hanekom opened up about the dark spaces that players go through during rehab while watching others play while they are struggling to return to the field.
“It's something that I've spoken to a couple of people and they're always shocked when I tell them what goes on in rehab because nobody sees the dark side of rugby. Everybody sees the glamour and the fancy in and outs and the steppies and all of that stuff, but nobody sees the pain that you go through while you're in rehab and the struggle,” he explained.
“It's difficult. It's not the easiest thing to go through, but I mean, with the teammates that I have by the Vodacom Bulls, they motivate me every day. They make jokes every single day and tell me that I'm going to be ready tomorrow.
“I'm ready to go on the field and stuff like that and it inspires me and shows me that they also, they look up to me in a certain way of helping me and encouraging me to be better and to just look to the future and see the bigger picture because you get so fixated on your rehab and your routine. After a while, you feel like you're going nowhere and having your players, your teammates, your brothers tell you that: ‘listen, yo, you're getting somewhere, you're looking bigger and the small comments that they make. It makes a massive impact on your self-consciousness and helps your confidence going forward in rehab.”
DESIRE TO GET BACK TO BOKS
Hanekom played 35 minutes of test rugby but now has even more desire to get back onto the field.
“At the moment, it's very difficult watching the Springbok games. You know, knowing that I was selected in the squad - not saying that I would have been playing or anything - but just being included into that squad is just a massive achievement already. Something that, literally, a young Cameron would be so proud of where I am now, but an older Cameron is not because that dream was taken away at the moment. So, at the moment, I just want to focus on getting back, getting stronger and pushing towards that dream again.
“If I have to talk about the first cap, I mean, it felt like 10 seconds to me. It was the fastest game ever. It was the toughest game ever and it's the most hard work I've put in and it was, literally, 35 minutes that I played, but it was the most incredible moment of my life and it's, since a young child, literally, five, six years old, that's all I've been dreaming about. I couldn't believe that it actually happened.”
INTENSE COMPETITION
Hanekom is aware of the intense competition in the team, and the fact that others, like his teammate Elrigh Louw and Stormers No 8 Evan Roos, who was also at Paarl Boishaai with him at school, made it to the Boks like him and then were injured before they could settle in.
But he takes his belief from his family and the way they encourage him, and that drives him to get back onto the field again.
“I mean, it's tough, obviously. I've looked up to Evan. I've looked up to Elrigh and stuff like that and I'm privileged enough to play with Elrigh. He's an amazing player and he motivates me every single game that I play with him. I missed him a lot when he was injured and not saying that the person that replaced him was bad, he definitely stepped up his game, but having Elrigh on my team, it's definitely a massive confidence booster. but I must say the most important role for me was probably my family.
ISOLATED
“In those rehab times, you feel isolated and there's nobody like that that helps you in those times and I feel my family - my mom, my dad, my three brothers - Storm, Logan and Troy - they help me through everything. My youngest brother, he's eight years old, loves his rugby to bits. So, every time I come to him and chat, he was there when I got injured that day and I could see the hurt in his eyes and that just showed me how much it means to other people and that you have to be grateful for what you have before everything gets taken away.”
Away from Rugby, Hanekom professes to be a Call-of-Duty addict on PlayStation.
“It's nothing serious or so, that's how I switch off sometimes otherwise I'll take my afternoon nap and those can get proper sometimes. At the moment, I try just to train as much as I can so that when I come back, they mustn't even know what's coming.”
With that determination, the Bok eight will be back in December, and will be working every day towards that to play again for the Bulls and earn the right to pull on the Bok jersey again.
Both sets of fans can’t wait to see that happen.