At the start of the season, Sharks midfielder Jurenzo Julius thought he would play for the Under-21 side in Durban after impressive performances for the Junior Springboks and in the Currie Cup.
Little did he know that he would become an integral part of their United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign in the injury absence of senior players and some Springboks.
But, the knowledge he has gained from training with and playing next to a couple of double World Cup winners has helped the 20-year-old find his feet quickly in John Plumtree's squad. He's been a standout youngster alongside fellow utility back Ethan Hooker and is poised to continue his good form in Durban.
His meteoric rise saw him rewarded with an invitation to the first Springbok alignment camp recently. The Namibian-born hot-stepper was also crowned the Junior Springbok Player of the Year at the SA Rugby Awards in Cape Town for his contributions to the U20 side in 2024.
With the Sharks facing Zebre Parma on Saturday at Kings Park, Julius will be eager to put in a good performance on the back of attending the alignment camp.
“I am 20 and only turning 21 in May, so this has come as a bit of a surprise,” he said, about his development, the invitation to the Bok camp and winning the award.
Congratulations Jurenzo Julius on winning the Junior Springbok Player of the Year at the SA Rugby Awards! 🏉💪#SARugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/IRCadGCrwM
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) March 13, 2025
“I planned on playing U21 (for the Sharks) rugby, but things happened otherwise. I am very happy with where I am (in my career) currently. Things have gone rapidly, but I need to stay calm and not get too excited because that is when things go wrong.
“So, I will trust the process and hopefully reach my end goal at the end of the season.”
That end goal, of course, is to play for the Springboks this year, and having been invited to the first alignment, Julius had a first taste of what it is like in the national setup. Although he has been rubbing shoulders with Boks in the Sharks camp, getting to experience things under World Cup-winning head coach Rassie Erasmus would’ve opened his eyes to something different.
The Junior Springbok Player of the Year is Jurenzo Julius 💪#SARugbyAwards #JourneyToGreatness #JuniorBoks pic.twitter.com/eyPENIcMbm
He credited the likes of centres Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, and winger Makazole Mapimpi for helping him. He’s comfortable anywhere in the midfield and has made an appearance on the wing for the Sharks as well.
“I like a bit of both,” he said, about playing with the number 12 or 13 on his back. "At outside centre, I can use a bit more of my skillset, whereas the inside centre is more physical. So, I’d say outside centre.
Always fun when old friends (and a few new ones) meet again, even in the gym 💪#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/UXi1RvASqc
“I could not have asked to be in a better place (with his rugby) now with guys like Andre and Lukhanyo guiding me. Also, Makazole helped me to understand what it is like to play with the team. Because when I don’t do well (on the inside), he doesn’t do well (on the outside).
“The environment at the Sharks has helped me grow so much and also played a role in who I am today.”