Groomed for greatness

31 May 2016 - 09:47 By SIBUSISO MJIKELISO

Few fancied Stormers scrumhalf Nic Groom for a Springbok place. But when his name was announced, seconds after the TV audience was regaled by the names Garth April and Faf de Klerk, Groom confirmed his status as the grittiest underdog in the land.Groom, 26, is up against De Klerk and Rudy Paige for the No9 jumper ahead of the Ireland series starting in Cape Town next week.Groom started playing rugby in King William's Town at Dale Junior, where his seniors - Mayihlome Tshwete, now spokesman of the Department of Home Affairs, and former Proteas fast bowler Monde Zondeki - used to babysit him when his folks were out.While at Rondebosch Boys' High School he was overlooked for the Craven Week side of 2008, and, despite being in the Western Province Academy, he failed to crack their under-19 side.More than half a decade later, Groom dragged himself up to become a regular in the Stormers team under Allister Coetzee and Robbie Fleck.And a Bok jersey seems only weeks away. Shaun Povey, a former Springbok and Western Province hooker, who coached Groom at the Rondebosch first XV, said: "Nic was always a very dedicated player and a good thinker on the field."He reads the game very well, so his defensive lines are very good."I was coaching him when he should have made Craven Week and was a little disappointed when he didn't. His determination and ability to think out of the box convinced me he should have been there with his peers at Western Province at the time."What I liked about Nic is his ability to clean the ruck and maul quickly."He is always on the ball. A lot of scrumhalves nowadays are very slow to get to the breakdown but Nic is quick to get there, which is a strength of his."..

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