In-between trying his hand at ostrich-racing and underwater hockey, as part of a gruelling training session with Change Coach Dalin Oliver, Bok and Stormers legend Conrad Jantjes took time to chat about pushing boundaries, facing challenges, and being an ambassador for the game even when no-one is watching
Most people are lucky if they have the natural talent to play one sport at a high level. Conrad Jantjes is an overachiever in this respect. He has represented South Africa not only in rugby, but in cricket and football at junior level.
“I knew in Standard 4 already that I wanted to play sport on TV someday,” he says. “But I just didn’t know which sport it would be.”
Conrad is the star-pupil of the second season of Change Coaches R Us, a web series where Change Coach Dalin (played by comedian Dalin Oliver) guides rugby players through a variety of different – and rather unusual – sports in the hope that they find a new passion in their post-rugby lives. Former Springbok Tonderai Chavhanga was Coach Dalin’s protégé in the first series, where he tried his hand at sports like roller derby, archery, and pole dancing.
Despite his natural athleticism, Conrad says the sports he tried in this season – clay pigeon shooting, underwater hockey, table tennis, surf skiing, ostrich racing and MMA fighting – pushed him way out of his comfort zone.
“The ostrich racing was by far the worst,” he laughs. “I had no clue what to do. We play table tennis on tour, and I thought I was quite good, because I was beating people like Schalk Burger. And then I was confronted with an Olympic-sized table and guys serving at half the speed I was used to, and I still couldn’t return them! They were spinning that ball all over the show.”
Jantjes is not one to shy away from a challenge, though. He says he gave each of the activities his best shot, an approach that has served him well on the rugby field, and in life in general.
What life lessons did you learn from rugby?
There have been so many. Respect, discipline, showing up on time. Because if 30 other guys can be 15 minutes early for a team meeting, if you wander in late then it’s disrespectful. Rugby also gave me a work ethic, and it taught me how to deal with fear of failure, by committing fully. You don’t become a Bok just by doing the basics. It’s about what you do when no-one is watching.
What was the biggest game-changing moment of your life?
The day I decided to work harder. Talent only takes you so far. At the end of the 2004 season I made that decision. And it literally took six weeks for me to change my career. So when we broke for the holidays in the middle of December, I didn’t stop.
I went to gym in the mornings and spinning in the afternoons. I didn’t train on Christmas Day, but I did go for a run. And I kept that up till the season began in 2005.
By the time we returned to training, I’d picked up muscle mass, so I could take the hits, and I was more confident. I made my Bok debut in 2001 and it took me four years to get back, but I got there because I changed my mind-set.
What do you love about change?
That fear of the unknown. If I think about the show with Coach Dalin – that week I had with him. I just had to embrace the unknown. I had no control over that ostrich, so I just had to do my best.
What do you hate about change?
Again, that fear of the unknown. It’s about how you deal with it. You can be unsure of yourself, doubt yourself. Sport teaches you that you just need to work through it, and play your part, and leave the rest in the hands of the universe.
If you could change one thing about professional rugby, what would it be?
I think youngsters need to be made aware of things like retirement plans. From the time you sign your first contract, if you just start putting R500 a month into a retirement fund, that’s a good start. So, really, I think just the general management of players around those kinds of things could be better. But then, South African rugby hasn’t been professional for that long, so it will take time for those things to be fully in place.
What’s something you’re trying to change about yourself?
My friends will tell you that I’m very blunt. I say it like it is. And I’ve realised I can’t be like that with everyone, because people have feelings. So I am trying to work on my delivery, and be aware and more sensitive. I’m used to the team environment, which is very competitive, and where people really say it like it is.
What is the scariest change you ever made in your life?
I think the first time I moved away from home, when I moved from Johannesburg to Cape Town. I struggled to find my own place, as I didn’t know the areas, so when I first got there I was crashing with team mates. It took me about nine months to settle properly in Cape Town.
Who is your personal role model?
Bruce Lee. I really like what he stood for, and his self-belief.
Have you ever read a book that changed your life?
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. It’s a book about a guy, a family man, who is diagnosed with cancer, and it’s really about learning to live every moment, every day to the fullest.
- Change Coaches R Us is brought to you by BrightRock, provider of the first ever needs-matched life insurance that changes as your life Changes. BrightRock is an associate sponsor of the DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province rugby teams.
- Visit BrightRockTV on YouTube to watch Season 1 (with Tonderai) and Season 2 (with Conrad) of the web-series.
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