Viljoen: Boks heritage, ABs ambition
Hurricanes rookie Jordi Viljoen didn’t have much choice about the position he would play on the rugby field.
His dad and granddad were both Springboks halfbacks.
“I have a little brother too and he broke the chain of the halfbacks because he got the tall genes,” said the pint-sized No 9.
But while he may be short in stature at 1.69m, the latest Viljoen looks to have a big future in the game based on his dream Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Hurricanes.
The 20-year-old justified the faith shown by new coach Clark Laidlaw – his former New Zealand under-20 mentor– by scoring a try in an emphatic 44-14 win over Western Force in Perth in his first appearance last Saturday.
The wider training squad member was a shock inclusion in the starting XV for the Hurricanes’ season opener.
Viljoen was given the nod in the most fiercely contested position in the squad, with TJ Perenara held back in New Zealand while he completes the final steps in his comeback from a long-term Achilles injury and All Black Cam Roigard not deemed ready to start after suffering a minor injury in pre-season.
“There was a lot of joy and happiness getting to run out for the first time, especially starting as well. You never really expect that on your debut,” Viljoen said.
It was a special moment for his dad Joggie, who stayed up until 2am in New Zealand to watch the match.
Joggie Viljoen spent a season with the Hurricanes in 2000, before returning to New Zealand and making the move permanent when he signed with Manawatū six years later.
But while his dad and granddad both played for the Springboks, Viljoen has made it clear his allegiance lies with New Zealand, rather than his country of birth.
His dream is to continue his proud family legacy by playing international rugby, just for the All Blacks rather than their biggest rivals.
Viljoen got a taste when he played for New Zealand at last year’s Under-20 World Cup.
“100% I’d love to play for the All Blacks. It’s been a dream ever since moving here. New Zealand has given me a lot of opportunities in terms of rugby and living a safe and happy life.”
“There was a lot of joy and happiness getting to run out for the first time.’’
Jordi Viljoen