At just 21, Grant de Jager finds himself on the cusp of a lifelong dream, donning the green and gold in front of a home crowd at the HSBC SVNS in Cape Town.
The former FNB Maties standout, now a contracted Blitzbok, vividly recalls the moment that lit the fire inside him: watching South Africa claim bronze in Rio 2016.
“I told my mom that day, ‘I want to represent them at the Olympics,’” De Jager says.
New #Blitzboks signing Grant de Jager is loving every minute with the squad, and he hopes to make enough of an impression to feature at the @CapeTown7s in December - more here: https://t.co/mRr8Pwy7de 💪
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) October 13, 2025
Tickets from only R250: https://t.co/U0r7ZmQagZ 🎟#PoweredByUnity pic.twitter.com/zibns2lJMv
Now, almost a decade later, he’s working tirelessly to earn his place in the squad for the prestigious tournament at DHL Stadium this December.
Hailing from Barberton in Mpumalanga, De Jager says what struck him most when joining the team was the culture of relentless effort, “The first thing I picked up was their willingness to work harder and harder. That’s something I’ve always prided myself on too, trying to outwork everyone else.”
Though humble about his current standing; “I’m not getting ahead of myself”; De Jager is learning fast in a squad full of veterans. “It’s a great opportunity to learn from guys like Ryan Oosthuizen and David Britz. Work rate won’t be the issue; I just want to make sure I do my job well.”
Having impressed at the Rugby Africa Sevens in Mauritius, where he helped the SA ‘A’ team to victory, De Jager is edging closer to fulfilling that boyhood dream.
And the thought of playing at home is a powerful motivator.
“I was in the stands last year when the Blitzboks won in Cape Town. I saw the joy on people’s faces, the pride. It would be such an honour to be on that field this time.”
