Publications
Partners
Sydney - Despite playing for the Waratahs, Jacques Potgieter has not given up his burning ambition to play rugby for the Springboks again.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald's website, the 27-year-old, who has three Springbok caps to his name, said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer 'wished him luck' when he left the Bulls last year to play rugby for the Fukuoka Sanix Blues in Japan, but he has not spoken to the coach since.
But Potgieter believed the Springboks' policy of picking overseas players could work in his favour.
"If you are playing well enough, they can't leave you out," Potgieter reasoned.
Potgieter said he was looking forward to the Waratahs' style of rugby, characterised by their physicality and a willingness to swing the ball out wide and said he had no problem with Waratahs coach Michael Cheika reputation as a disciplinarian.
Potgieter said he had become accustomed to old-fashioned coaching methods in South Africa.
"At the Eastern Province Kings the team would be woken up without warning at three or four in the morning for training. We used to train hard and at unexpected hours just to learn to be ready for anything,''
Potgieter is likely to be used as a utility player for the Waratahs, covering lock, flank and eighthman.
''I will give it 100 percent whether it is lock, whether it's No 8 or blindside, I'll play anywhere,'' Potgieter said.
The Waratahs begin their Super Rugby campaign against the Western Force in Sydney on February 22.
Kick-off is 07:05 SA time.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald's website, the 27-year-old, who has three Springbok caps to his name, said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer 'wished him luck' when he left the Bulls last year to play rugby for the Fukuoka Sanix Blues in Japan, but he has not spoken to the coach since.
But Potgieter believed the Springboks' policy of picking overseas players could work in his favour.
"If you are playing well enough, they can't leave you out," Potgieter reasoned.
Potgieter said he was looking forward to the Waratahs' style of rugby, characterised by their physicality and a willingness to swing the ball out wide and said he had no problem with Waratahs coach Michael Cheika reputation as a disciplinarian.
Potgieter said he had become accustomed to old-fashioned coaching methods in South Africa.
"At the Eastern Province Kings the team would be woken up without warning at three or four in the morning for training. We used to train hard and at unexpected hours just to learn to be ready for anything,''
Potgieter is likely to be used as a utility player for the Waratahs, covering lock, flank and eighthman.
''I will give it 100 percent whether it is lock, whether it's No 8 or blindside, I'll play anywhere,'' Potgieter said.
The Waratahs begin their Super Rugby campaign against the Western Force in Sydney on February 22.
Kick-off is 07:05 SA time.
