Find out more about the Stomers star, from watches to his Welsh rugby hero
Who is Herschel Jantjies: Ten things you should know about the South Africa scrum-half
Herschel Jantjies is one of the sparkiest half-backs on the international scene. The diminutive Stormer is a brilliant support runner, with a rapid pass to match. Here are facts and stats about the South Africa scrum-half.
Ten things you should know about Herschel Jantjies
1. Herschel Jantjies was born on 22 April 1996 in Kylemore, in the Western Cape. It is in the middle of a wine-producing region and close to the town of Stellenbosch.
2. He is only 5ft 5in, which made him the second smallest player at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, behind only Japan scrum-half Fumiaki Tanaka.
Patience on attack, a clever kick and good work by Damian Willemse set up a fifth Test try for Herschel Jantjies. ??#StrongerTogether #StrongerForever #CastleLionsSeries pic.twitter.com/ZhSLVw5aKx
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 10, 2021
3. When he started at Paul Roos Gymnasium – the school that has produced more Springboks than any other – he played in the D team at U14 level.
4. Within five years, though, he had made his professional debut for Western Province – at the age of 19 in 2016.
Great to see a former @scarlets_rugby player set to lift the Webb Ellis! Da iawn wir #Jantjies pic.twitter.com/mRAH7ryBxQ
— Aled Richards (@AledRichards) November 2, 2019
5. He has also played for Welsh region the Scarlets. They signed him on a one-match loan during their tour of South Africa in the 2017-18 Pro14 season after suffering an injury at scrum-half.
6. He plays for the Stormers, the Cape Town-based franchise, and made his Super Rugby debut against the Sharks during the final match of the 2018 season.
7. Called up by South Africa in 2019, Jantjies enjoyed a dream debut Rugby Championship. His first cap against Australia resulted in two tries and a 35-17 win, while a week later he scored a 79th-minute try against the All Blacks to secure a 16-16 draw in Wellington.
TRY OF THE WEEK | 2019 Rugby Championship Rd 2
Herschel Jantjies has had a big couple of weeks! Who could've predicted the magic he would produce on Saturday, scoring a try at the death to steal the draw for the Springboks.#RugbyChampionship #TRC2019 #TryoftheWeek #NZLvRSA pic.twitter.com/RDqwsbXIBb— Super Rugby/TRC (@SuperRugby) July 29, 2019
8. Jantjies was a member of the squad that won the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, coming off the bench for the final.
9. Growing up, his rugby heroes were Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips and South Africa No 9 Francois Hougaard.
10. Outside rugby, one of his interests in watches. He told Stormers Magazine: “One day I would like to be as big as an Eben Etzebeth in getting sponsored by Tag Heuer or another brand like that, but I will also work hard enough to buy myself a Rolex.”
He can also play the trumpet!
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