The quite staggering sudden celebrations of massive Vodacom United Rugby Championship milestones may hit us weekly now, but when it comes to Johan Grobbelaar, there are few players who have earned their place at the Vodacom Bulls more.
Grobbies - the obvious nickname for the surname - and the trademark scrumcap make him easily one of the most recognisable players in a Bulls jersey.
Quiet and unassuming, Grobbelaar is the ultimate workhorse. He isn’t the flash player or the one who is the loudest, and in a world where the two jersey - the infamous hooker - is often known for his candour as much as his play, Grobbies is an outlier.
Because he isn’t the guy who will dominate the headlines, but ask his coaches, and the quiet, unassuming demeanour is invaluable in the team environment.
EXCEPTIONAL LINEOUT MAN
Grobbelaar gets to work and doesn’t quit. He is exceptionally good at his job as well, and while fans may rate players by the tries they score, Grobbelaar has built up an exceptional reputation for himself as a deadshot in the lineout, an excellent rolling maul man and a player who does the work first and doesn’t look for the accolades.
That he reaches a massive 150 games for the Bulls is an achievement in itself. He joined the team after school and played his way through the ranks, impressing every coach that he came across.
Head down and do the work. The mantra has always been the same.
But now he has the ability to reach his milestone and strike a massive blow for the Bulls team as well if they can overcome Glasgow Warriors this weekend in the semifinal at Murrayfield.
Grobbelaar has seen both the highs and lows, and while he is establishing himself as a regular in the Bok squad, he was also the youngster in the match day 23 that lost the Rainbow Cup to Benetton when South Africa went to Europe.
And he played in all three finals that the Bulls lost in the URC, and knows the taste of defeat.
That has only made him hungrier for this weekend’s action, and the milestone may be one thing, but it is likely to be pushed into the background as he looks to get his side into the final.
UPS AND DOWNS
“It’s been a great few years here in Pretoria with the Bulls,” Grobbelaar reflected on a media call on Tuesday.
“There have been some ups and downs but playing in those URC finals and now having the opportunity again to go all the way is special. Hopefully, we can get another crack at it and this time finish the job.”
Revenge may be on the minds of some Bulls’ supporters, but not on Grobbelaar’s mind. Glasgow shocked the Bulls in 2024 - winning their first title at Loftus, a night that Grobbelaar remembers well.
And this season they have beaten the Bulls in URC action and in the Champions Cup Round of 16.
But he isn’t entertaining any talk of getting even.
“You can’t forget about it, but we have to leave that in the past,” he said.
“We’ve learned from it and now we’ve got another great opportunity to play against them at an iconic stadium. Everyone is excited about the challenge.
“Glasgow are probably one of the best-balanced teams in the competition. There aren’t many weak points that you can target. They’re a quality side and they’ve shown that throughout the season.”
PEAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME
Grobbelaar believes the Bulls are now peaking at the right time of the season - especially as they have momentum, having won 10 of their last 11 games in the URC.
“We are peaking at the right time, when it really matters. We were not at our best at the start of the season, but over the last few matches, even though we have been far from perfect, we are building nicely. You would rather have your form this way around over the season.
“Last week we performed well to beat Munster, we seem to be getting a bit better each time we play, and hopefully that continues on Saturday.”
Grobbelaar believes the move to Murrayfield from Scotstoun is a bonus for his side because they don’t have to play on an artificial pitch, but the excitement of playing on an iconic field for the first time is more what is driving him.
MURRAYFIELD BECKONS
“It’s a field I’ve never played on before, so it’s going to be a great opportunity,” he said.
“It’s something that’s on everyone’s bucket list. I’m really looking forward to playing at Murrayfield and playing on grass again. The pitch is obviously a bit different, and it’ll be on grass again.
“We’re used to grass at Loftus, so hopefully that helps us, but our plans and structures won’t change much.”
The Bulls' one strike weapon that Grobbelaar features in is their scrum, and he admits it took a while to turn it into the force that it currently is. But now that they have it, it is time to use it.
“It takes months and sometimes years to build a reputation at scrum time,” Grobbelaar said.
“We’ve had some good scrums against them before and hopefully we can build on that and make it a big weapon for us again.”
Grobbelaar’s milestone is a massive one for a player who always gives his all, but he knows as well as anyone else that it is the result that will determine the celebration, and he only wants one outcome this weekend.