JUST IN :Springboks hopeful rejected Japan’s advances to chase the ‘dream’

Stormers lock JD Schickerling has revealed that although it was only a matter of time before he qualified to play for Japan, it did not appeal to him as he is determined to represent the Springboks one day.

In the past the likes of Lappies Labuschagné, Wimpie van der Walt, Gerhard van den Heever and Shane Gates have represented the Brave Blossoms, but Schickerling revealed that although discussions were held for him to follow a similar route to play at Test level, he ultimately turned down that opportunity.

“I would probably have qualified for Japan in a year. It was on the table, but I could never envisage playing for Japan,” he told Netwerk24.

‘It will always remain a dream to play for the Springboks’

“My heart was always in South Africa and it will always remain a dream to play for the Springboks one day.”

The 29-year-old initially represented the Stormers from 2016 to 2021 before heading to Japan where he represented Kobelco Kobe Steelers for two years before joining the Kubota Spears in 2023.

He is one of three new recruits in the Stormers squad along with double Rugby World Cup-winning front-row Steven Kitshoff, who also played for the Cape Town-based outfit before, and veteran back-row Dave Ewers, who previously had stints with Exeter Chiefs and Ulster.

Schickerling was in action in the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship opener against the Ospreys in Bridgend and although they suffered a 37-24 defeat, he gave a good account of himself.

He started in the second-row alongside Ruben van Heerden and despite finishing on the losing side, Schickerling enjoyed packing down alongside his locking partner.

Happy to play in either second-row position

“We both enjoy playing as number four and number five slots,” he said.

“This makes it easy to share the workload. These days you do the same things regardless of which of the lock positions you play. The only difference is that as a number five lock you run the lineouts.

“It’s nice to help each other in that aspect, especially with the fact that I also like to give lineout calls.

“If I think that there is something somewhere that we can exploit, I can communicate it. So I think it works very well.”