At 19, Luan Giliomee is already carrying serious expectations. His Sharks debut against Munster in March — slotted in at fullback during an injury crisis — was eye-catching enough to put his name in the Bok prospect conversation almost immediately. This piece catches up with him ahead of Saturday's SA 'A' fixture against Zimbabwe in Gqeberha, where he lines up at 15 alongside fellow rising names Markus Muller and Zekhethelo Siyaya.
What's interesting here is Giliomee's self-awareness. He's clear-eyed about the noise that comes with being flagged as a future Bok and matter-of-fact about how he handles it — process over profile. The piece also fleshes out a development path that's less conventional than most: Blitzboks caps in Perth, Junior Bok appearances at scrumhalf and flyhalf, SA Schools in 2024. He credits Sevens for sharpening his defensive tracking and skill execution, and sees his existing combinations with Siyaya, Muller and Yaqeen Ahmed — all SA Schools teammates — as a potential backline edge on Saturday. Worth reading for a fuller picture of one of the more intriguing players in the SA 'A' squad this week.