Tiaan Jacobs: From the farm to Bordeaux and chasing the Bok dream

EXCLUSIVE: When Bordeaux Bègles’ South African loose forward Tiaan Jacobs was growing up on his grandfather’s farm in Mooiplaas, north-east of East London, rugby was already a central part of his life.

His father, Bennie Jacobs, represented the Border Bulldogs on 185 occasions between 1995 and 2005 before passing the baton to his son.

Raised in a rugby-mad household, Tiaan picked up the oval ball at a young age and went on to make a name for himself during his high school years at Selborne College.

The rangy and powerful loose forward quickly made waves in the Eastern Cape schoolboy scene and represented Border’s U18 side at Craven Week in 2022.

“Growing up on the East Coast of East London, having to drive 45 minutes to school every day, and playing rugby with my mates was quite fun,” he told Rugby365 from France.

“I spent almost every weekend on my grandfather’s farm in Mooiplaas. I loved it and even bunked school sometimes just to be there.

“We were always hunting and fishing on the farm, and I learned many life lessons that have stuck with me to this day.”

Life and rugby in France

After finishing school, Jacobs chose the road less travelled by signing with French side Biarritz in the Pro D2.

Despite impressing at the schoolboy level, he was overlooked for every SA U18 squad and subsequently attracted little interest from South Africa’s top unions.

When an opportunity to move to France presented itself, instead of returning to his family farm, Jacobs seized it with both hands.

His stint at Biarritz proved short but valuable. Just a year into his contract, the 21-year-old earned a call-up to the Junior Springboks for the U20 Rugby Championship.

Jacobs impressed throughout that campaign, ultimately securing a move to Bordeaux, a team that had been monitoring his progress for some time.

“It’s quite surprising how quickly things have happened in my career,” he shared.

“I mean, making my professional debut at 19 was unbelievable. The whole idea of coming to France was to gain as much experience as possible at a young age.

“If you look at the URC, there aren’t many young players getting opportunities, but in the French Top 14 and Pro D2, most squads are filled with young players, and you get a chance to compete at the highest level.

“Playing for the Junior Boks in 2024 was also a major highlight, and I’ll forever be grateful to coach Bafana Nhleko for backing me as an overseas player.”

Jacobs made his French Top 14 debut last year and has since featured in more than 16 matches for the club, as well as making three Champions Cup appearances.

At Bordeaux, he shares a dressing room with some of the best players in world rugby, including Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Cameron Woki, Damian Penaud, Matthieu Jalibert, and fellow South African Carlu Sadie.

The youngster says being surrounded by world-class talent has provided him with an invaluable learning environment as he continues to develop his game.

“I probably dreamt of playing with such talented players but never imagined it would become a reality this early in my career.

“I’m just very fortunate, and it’s a real privilege being around them, learning from them, and just improving.

“At the end of the day, they are just normal human beings, just like you and me. The only difference is that they are in the limelight.

“They are great people, they work hard, and there’s always banter around the Springboks.”

Boks or Les Bleus?

While Jacobs is still relatively young, one question he is frequently asked is whether he would choose to represent the Springboks or France should the opportunity arise.

He could become eligible to play for Les Bleus after completing the residency period in the country.

However, Jacobs has no interest in entertaining that possibility, with his sights firmly set on the green and gold jersey.

“It’s never crossed my mind [playing for a different country],” he said.

“I’m South African through and through, and my blood is green and gold.

“My dream is to play for the Springboks, and it would be a massive privilege to achieve that.

“The Boks inspired me to become a professional rugby player, and one day I want to be in their shoes, inspiring other kids too.”

What’s next?

Jacobs is contracted to Bordeaux Bègles until 2028 and says his focus remains on developing his game, contributing to the team, and pushing himself to reach the highest level possible.

“I’m not just here for the money or to play at the top level; I’m here to learn as well.

“I love learning about different cultures and seeing how different coaches go about their business. It’s also about independence for me. I left home at 18 and have had to make some big decisions in my life.”

He will, unfortunately, miss this weekend’s Champions Cup semifinal against Bath after sustaining an ankle injury in last weekend’s French Top 14 clash against Montpellier.

The South African will instead cheer on his teammates from the sidelines as Bordeaux look to book another Champions Cup final berth.