Captain’s profile: Johnathan Steenkamp
Upington will be led onto the field by experienced centre Johnathan Steenkamp in Saturday’s FNB Classic Clash against Duineveld in Upington.
Steenkamp enters his third year as a member of the first XV and his experience will be invaluable this weekend with the team having lost several key players last year.
For Steenkamp, his first team debut was bittersweet.
“My first game was against Diamantveld in Kimberley and three minutes into the match I broke my finger. I was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery that night,” recalled Steenkamp.
The fleet-footed No.13 has come a long way since then, playing Craven Week, Craven Week Sevens and Grant Khomo rugby.
The weekend’s derby will be another memorable milestone for the 17-year-old.
“I’m very excited about captaining Uppies. It’s not only an honour but a pleasure to captain such a positive group of players from Hoërskool Upington. Our school is one big team that I’m proud to be a part of and I can only hope they are half as proud of me as I am of them,” he said.
Steenkamp is relishing his role as captain.
“I believe a captain’s philosophy should be positive in every sense. My philosophy as skipper is thus to be positive and supportive of my team and to encourage my teammates to stay positive at all times.
“There should be trust among the squad and the respective player groups such as the forwards and backs and no ego, sarcasm and negativity. Only if we are such a tight-knit unit do I believe the players will look up to me and we’d play as a team as opposed to a group of individuals.”
Steenkamp said they have been focusing on their own game rather than what Duineveld will bring to the table in the lead up to the weekend’s game when they will hope to emulate the result of the previous derby match, which they won 12-10 with a last gasp try.
“My dad always says ‘if you keep your eye on the opposition you can’t see where you’re heading.’ Having said that, it’s important to understand what the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses are.”
Steenkamp, who plans to continue his rugby career at University next year, expects a tough battle against Duineveld.
“We might be starting afresh and we might not have the biggest players but what we lack in experience and size we make up with heart. We have the heart of a lion and no challenge is too great for us.”
