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Grant to give rugby a full go

Kimberley - Griquas flyhalf Dean Grant will soon boast two honours degrees, which will finally allow him to put his full focus on rugby.

Grant has had an unconventional road to a professional rugby career.

He's a huge fan of putting studies first, which has seen him secure his honours in civil engineering at Stellenbosch, while he's about to submit his final thesis, which will complete his honours in BCom Investments studies at the University of Cape Town.

It's been a tough road for the 25-year-old, who managed to find a balance between rugby and studies, but he said it's been well worth the sacrifices.

"It's been challenging at times, but I'm a big advocate for putting studies first and having something valuable behind your name," Grant told MyPlayers.co.za. "I've always wanted to give rugby my full go, but the courses I studied demanded a lot of my time. I managed to make the Boland Vodacom Cup squad in 2010, but my studies took most of my time and restricted my playing time."

There was a solution to this hectic schedule as Grant used the Varsity Cup as a platform for exposure, which gave him the opportunity to dedicate time to his books.

"The Varsity Cup is a wonderful initiative, especially for young players who want to study full-time," said Grant. "I used it to ensure I had enough time to study, while I was getting good exposure on the field too. This created an opportunity for me to secure a deal at Griquas."

Grant is enjoying his time at the Kimberley-based union, where they're busy with pre-season training.

Griquas enjoyed a few highs and lows during 2014, which saw them win the Vodacom Cup and steamroll the opposition during the Currie Cup qualifiers. Then during the Currie Cup Premier Division, Griquas finished second last on the table, with only three wins from 10 games.

Grant believes the team will do much better this season.

"Our depth is much better this season. We have a great bunch of players in the squad, and we all want to do well," said Grant.

"We want another good run in the Vodacom Cup this season, then ensure our qualification into the Currie Cup Premier League again. We were disappointed with our 2014 Currie Cup campaign as we struggled to finish off the games we should've won. However, we will learn from that and try to turn it around this year."

With Grant placing 100% of his focus on rugby, he hopes to continue his elevation through the South African ranks.

"I enjoyed my first year of professional rugby. It was a step-up from Varsity Cup, but I believe I adapted well," said Grant. "I have a number of goals I want to achieve, including securing the No 10 jersey here at Griquas and earning myself the opportunity to play Super Rugby in the near future. I know I have to work hard and take it one day at a time."

For more exclusive player content, check out MyPlayers.co.za

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