At 20, Luan Giliomee has already had a head-spinning month. He played two games at the Sharks that turned heads, then arrived at the Vodacom Bulls mid-season with a new playbook to learn. He sounds entirely unbothered by it.
Ask Giliomee about the Investec Champions Cup and the calm voice picks up pace. For him, the draw is simple. “You want to compete against the best in the world, and you realise that’s happening in this competition.”
He sees French clubs in particular as a benchmark, a strong rugby nation whose sides South Africans want to measure themselves against at club and international level.
He also frames it as a collective ambition. “I think the rest of South Africa would be proud of us.”
It is a neat reminder that the Investec Champions Cup has become a showcase for the country’s franchises, not just a bonus fixture list.
His view of his own career path is revealing too. Young players, he says, focus on the Vodacom URC by default, then discover a level above it. “You realise there’s maybe a step above, or things you aren’t ready for.”
That, he adds, is exactly what excites him.
Giliomee grew up in Ceres supporting Western Province and the Stormers, so a Vodacom Bulls jersey was never the childhood dream. He is refreshingly honest about it, and just as quick to say how things have changed. “I’ve learned to be quite fond of the Vodacom Bulls.”
Day one helped. He arrived in Pretoria on a Sunday, trained on Monday, and found the Springboks in the squad ready to help. “They were basically accepting me with open arms. It was a surreal experience.”
He rates the culture and style of play as the two big draws, and says the group has exceeded expectations. “I feel part of it already.”
Training alongside established stars is a masterclass in itself, and Giliomee treats it that way. “I just try to be like a sponge and take everything in.”
He asks questions constantly, even about topics he knows something about.
Staying grounded, he says, comes down to remembering where he started. “Everything can be taken away, but things can be given to you.”
The coach’s message to him and the other new signings is equally simple. “Be yourself. Take your time.”
Versatile at 10, 15 and even nine, Giliomee refuses to claim a finished product. Asked what he wants to improve, he answers broadly. “I just want to become a better player in all aspects.”
With Europe on the horizon, there is plenty of room to do exactly that.
