On the Sunday morning after the Lions’ devastating United Rugby Championship loss against the Stormers, Springbok newcomer Quan Horn switched his phone on, and he was flooded with plenty of messages and missed calls.
At first, he didn’t know what was happening because he went to bed early that Saturday night, tired after playing his heart out in his side’s quest to achieve a first-ever knockout spot in the URC – but it was not to be for the Johannesburg outfit.
But just after midnight, the first Springbok squad of coach Rassie Erasmus’ second tenure was announced, and Horn was one of the newcomers selected.
The 22-year-old Lions fullback was awakened with plenty of messages of congratulations after making the 35-man group, despite his side’s agonising loss the previous afternoon. It was sort of a panacea after the defeat at the Cape Town Stadium.
“It’s a funny story how everything happened. After that Stormers game, I went straight to bed because I was very tired and switched my phone off,” Horn explained this week in his first interview in the Bok set-up.
“The next morning, I woke up and there were a lot of missed calls, messages, and everything. I didn’t know what was happening. I checked the messages and saw everyone saying ‘Congratulations’.
“Then my dad phoned me and said ‘Well done, but the hard work starts now. Being selected is not always (it) – you will be in the mix, but you have to work hard to stay there … That is the hardest thing’.
“He also said he was proud of me, and that I just need to keep my head down and keep on working.”
Horn is in line for a possible debut next Saturday against Wales at Twickenham (3pm SA time start) in the Boks’ first Test of the year.
The former Paarl Boys’ High star is hopeful that the first opportunity will come soon, but will be patient until it is here. His dream will only become real once he sits in the change-room before a game, preparing to run on.
Quan Horn and Canan Moodie have been lighting it up in the Vodacom #URC but not too long ago, they were starring for the Junior Springboks in 2021 🇿🇦pic.twitter.com/RfbG2NPDOi
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) April 27, 2023
He credited former Springbok and backline coach of the Lions, Ricardo Loubscher, for getting him to a level high enough for the national coaches to spot him.
“I have a very good relationship with Coach Ricky. He helps me at work every day, he gives feedback. From the first day I stepped into the senior side, he took me in. He told me I would make it, that I’d become a Springbok,” Horn said.
“From that day, I worked hard at my game. He gave feedback on everything, my attacking game, my play under the high ball, and my defence. He was there to support and help me.”
According to Horn, the training sessions at the Springboks opened his eyes to new things.
He said the focus is on getting the small things right, like in the system and discipline, and when everyone buys into that, things are easier.
5️⃣0️⃣ up for Quan Horn! 🦁#LionsPride🦁 pic.twitter.com/xxOj941Te0
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) May 15, 2024
It has also helped him that so many experienced players are around him from whom he can learn.
“There are quality players who have won two World Cups in a row, so that speaks for itself. Guys like Jesse (Kriel) have a massive workload and learning from his experience, what he says during training sessions and all those things, I want to take that in,” Horn said.
“There is so little margin for error … Detail is everything in a game. It can be a difference between standing under the poles and conceding seven points.
“I am not complete as a player, but there are a lot of areas of my game I can develop. I want to improve everything I bring to the table, and the Springboks can help me do that.”