A lot has been made about rising star Luan Giliomee’s move from the Hollywoodbets Sharks to the Vodacom Bulls, but could it simply be about learning from the best around him?
Giliomee is likely to make his debut in the Investec Champions’ Cup this weekend - capping an unbelievable year for him where he played for the Springbok Sevens, SA A team against Zimbabwe, won the Junior World Championship, made his URC debut and now will play in the biggest club competition in the world.
And while some may find his move to the Bulls to be strange, he is now in an environment where he is learning every day from the likes of Springboks Willie le Roux - with more than 100 tests to his name, Bok flyhalf Handre Pollard and some of the best players in the country.
Now that isn’t a diss to the Sharks and their way of developing players, but it could be that Giliomee simply wants to be in an environment where he will grow and where he can learn from some players he has looked up to.
Giliomee has come in and has been seen in deep conversations with Le Roux, and admits when he was asked that he never expected to enjoy it so much.
“I think when I arrived here, I didn't quite understand what would be in store for me, but the first weekend I realised, no, okay, this is, this is a bit different,” Giliomee said.
“But if you ask them, I try to, I try to learn every day. When I don't know something or maybe I know something about a topic, I still ask them and I just realise every day that it's a privilege to play against these legends and just try to learn everything from them and just to ask and to be like a sponge and take everything in.”
Giliomee admitted as well that the type of rugby the Bulls play is what enticed him to come to Pretoria.
“I quite like the culture here. The rest of the guys are also welcoming. The type of rugby we play also, I like that as well. That's basically the main two things that excites me, and I'm just excited for the rest to come.”
UNEXPECTED WELCOME
He also couldn’t have expected a welcome like he got, especially as the Bulls were still on tour when he arrived in Pretoria.
“No, it was like a flipping good experience. I arrived on Sunday, got to training on Monday. The other guys were still on tour, but luckily enough I had the privilege to be welcomed by the Springboks from the Vodacom Bulls.
"So I had the privilege of training with them, had a couple of walkthroughs with them, did my medicals with them and they showed me around. They basically just accepted me with open arms. It was a real experience,” he smiled.
“It's definitely an experience to come well, to join another team in the middle of a season. But I believe I've done my best and I'm still trying to do my best to understand their calls, to be a part of their system, to just make the rest of the guys comfortable to play with me to be able to trust me.
"But I'm trying my best from day to day. I feel like I've settled in quite nicely, so hopefully the call-up comes soon.”
Giliomee credits the Sharks for backing him, even though he had already signed at the Bulls.
“I think well, my answer was kind of like I had the opportunity this weekend. Luckily I'd have, I had great coaches that backed me and I realised that no matter the fact that I'm going to the Vodacom Bulls, I still get the chance to perform and they are backing me to perform.
"So I think that was a motivational point for me, just to say thank you and to perform at the best of my abilities and luckily I got to do that.”
SETTLING IN
And now he simply wants to settle in and show what he can do.
“ I think I need to improve in all aspects just to become better in all standards, just to start levelling up on everything, gradually becoming a more versatile player than I am now.
"Maybe some attack pointers that I can learn from the guys here, maybe some defence pointers as well some key things I want to integrate into my game. But in all honesty, I just think about every aspect. I just wanna become a better player.”
And if he does Loftus will cheer him on with every part of his development journey and give him the support he needs to shine.