PRETORIUS JC

General
TRANSITION TO SEVENS
He says he found the transition from rugby union [15-a-side] to rugby sevens challenging after joining the national rugby sevens academy in Stellenbosch, South Africa, at age 18. "Making that transition wasn't easy and it got even tougher when I started practising with the Blitzboks [national rugby sevens team]. Mondays are reserved for what we call 'wrestling day', a day when we focus on fitness only. There I was, fresh out of high school and I didn't know what to expect, certainly not a routine that was such a shock to my system that I gagged in front of everyone. And that's not even the most embarrassing part. From the day I arrived in Stellenbosch in 2016, I puked every Monday until it stopped late last year [2019], when my body was finally used to the drills. It didn't matter if I trained with academy, the Blitzboks or if they trained together, I was sick every Monday. They used to leave two doors open in case someone had to run out when he felt sick and now the doors are closed, so I have a sneaky suspicion the doors were left open solely for my benefit." (sarugbymag.co.za, 21 Mar 2020)