Reinhardt Ludwig has embraced the opportunity at blindside flanker for the Vodacom Bulls, and hopefully follow in the footsteps of Springbok star Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Ludwig has featured regularly in the second row this season but started on the side of the scrum against the DHL Stormers in the north-south derby at Loftus Versfeld in round 11 of the Vodacom URC.
Bulls director of rugby Jake White is putting the 21-year-old on the same path as Du Toit, who started out at lock and became a double world champion and World Player of the Year for the Boks.
Speaking in a Bulls conference this week, Ludwig described White’s recent comparison to Du Toit as both a blessing and a challenge while acknowledging his growth as a player in 2023-24.
“It’s a massive honour to be compared with him [Du Toit] and that he [ White] sees potential in me,” he told reporters.
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“He has played in the World Cup, was Man of the Match in the World Cup final, and he is a hero of mine. I look up to him as a player and as a human being. I think he is extremely humble despite everything that he has achieved in his life.
“It’s an honour for me that coach Jake sees the potential in me. But I still have to work hard to become like Pieter-Steph. I am not there yet.
“I think coach Jake has a plan for my career and I am just keen to learn from everyone. If I am shaped, it is a position that will suit me. But at this stage I am more comfortable at lock just because I have spent so many years in that position.”
He added: “I didn’t foresee my season going this well so far. All you need as a player is some opportunity and I am truly grateful for the opportunities I got so far this season.
“I can just be thankful for the coaches’ belief in me and I am keen to work hard and get even better.
“I am not yet where I want to be with my game, but every game I feel more confident and I feel that I have grown a lot this season. If I can describe the season in one word, it has been unreal.”
Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
