When I first called Vodacom Bulls and Kubota Spears lock and old Kingswoodian Grant Hattingh at 4 p.m. on Monday, I quietly reminded myself that he might not be in the best frame of mind.
When I first called Vodacom Bulls and Kubota Spears lock and old Kingswoodian Grant Hattingh at 4 p.m. on Monday, I quietly reminded myself that he might not be in the best frame of mind.
After all, Bulls coach Nollis Marais had said in the press conference following their 38-6 win over the Southern Kings that Hattingh’s groin strain was set to keep him out of the team for five weeks. Only one had passed since.
Furthermore, with his wedding this weekend fast approaching, speaking to the media was likely to be the last activity he wanted to occupy his free time with.
Nervous start
The one realisation I have found particularly difficult to come to terms with since becoming a sports journalist was that some of my boyhood sporting heroes were simply not nice people – and that even most of those who were did not enjoy media duties. As a consequence, some interviews I’d given with top athletes had gone badly south.
When Hattingh had to wait nearly 20 minutes while I tried to figure out why my phone wouldn’t let me call him via the application I usually used to make calls on record – and while I downloaded a replacement app in a hurry – I feared the worst.
Finally, using the new app, I got through to him.
Looking back
“Leonard!” came the loud, hearty cry from the deep voice on the other end of the phone. It was if Grant and I had been friends for a lifetime. All my fears vanished in an instant.
We started speaking about Grant’s time at Kingswood, and the big man gushed about the school he matriculated from in 2008.
“I think you learn a lot from Kingswood. I think it’s an incredible school. It sets you up with big dreams… A lot of people who have come out of there have been inspired to do big things,” he said.
“They always taught us that there’s no other way but to put your head down and graft.”
Two and a half minutes into the call, the application I was using drowned Grant’s voice out and notified me that I had 30 seconds left before I had to buy credit to continue speaking on the phone. Thoroughly embarrassed, I told Grant that I would have to call him back.
True to form, Grant said that it was not a problem and that we would speak at 7 A.M. on Tuesday. It seemed that no amount of inconvenience could possibly put him in a bad mood.
Calling things into question
In my second call, I decided to test the waters with a somewhat difficult question for an injured rugby player: “What are you hoping for from this season when you get back?”
After a slight pause, Grant replied: “I’m obviously just looking forward to being back playing. Obviously, I think nobody likes to be out injured. But, I mean, most importantly, just doing what I can to contribute to the team (Sic) – to just try get that semi-final and just take it from there.”
Confident that Grant had the patience to engage with challenging questions, I quizzed him on Marais’ expansive brand of rugby that had brought mixed results for the Bulls and mixed reactions from their supporters.
“Okes are all buying into the gameplan and enjoying it. They like to run a lot more. They like a lot more freedom. So I think this, you know, it doesn’t happen overnight. If the guys can stick to it, it will pay off for the future,” said Grant, sounding thoroughly relaxed.
Grant also had no trouble admitting that he found leaving Western Province for the Lions in 2012 difficult. However, he ultimately decided that it would be less painful than letting an opportunity to make a name for himself slip.
“I wasn’t getting much opportunity down that side and, you know, the Lions approached me and then so did the bulls – so you can’t say ‘no’ to some of the other good unions,” he said.
Wounding the lions
Sensing that the time was right to ask the question on every Lions fan’s lips, I asked Grant to elaborate on his move to the Bulls after one Super Rugby campaign with the Lions. “I know it upset quite a few of my friends,” I added.
At this stage, I was hardly surprised to hear Grant light-heartedly laughing at my question.
He confessed his admiration for the current Lions team, but said: “The Bulls were doing well at that stage [when Grant moved]. They had Victor [Matfield]. They had Frans Ludeke. I just wanted to learn from the world’s best.”
Leaving his mark
Before the likes of Ludeke; Matfield; and Marais, Grant was learning from Graham Carlson, who coached him in Kingswood’s first team.
Carlson had little trouble remembering the 25-year-old as a player. He said: “Grant had the height and strength to play lock and the speed, agility; and skill to play looseforward.”
However, Carlson had even more to say about Grant’s personality – and his experience of the man was all too similar to mine. “He possessed a passion and love for the game whereby he wouldn’t have minded if I put him on as hooker or scrumhalf so long as he was on the field. He brought a cheerful, but intensely dedicated attitude to both training and matches… [He was] a great team player and genuinely an all-round nice guy.”
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
