THE FLOORS THE ACCELERATOR, SENDING THE AUDI TTS IN ALL IT'S 288-HORSEPOWER, FOUR-CYLINDER GLORY-VAULTING TOWARDS THE GLIMMERING SHORE AHEAD OF US. IT'S ONE OF THOSE DOG DAYS IN GREEN POINT, THE SUN SPECKLING CHURNING TIDES, WAVES SWELLING AND CRASHING WITH A BRILLIANT FOAM. DAMIAN SMILES. HE'S BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAR HE COULD ONLY DREAM OF AS AKID. THE SPRINGBOK RUGBY PLAYER HAS JUST WRAPPED HIS FIRST EVER COVER SHOOT. HE SUFFERED A SERIOUS CONCUSSION JUST TWO WEEKS EARLIER, BUT HE'S MADE A FULL RECOVERY. HE'S MATCH FIT (REALLY FIT) AND HE'S GOT ANOTHER GAME ON THE HORIZON. DAMIAN IS HUNGRY TO PROVE HIMSELF. THE 24-YEAR-OLD IS IN HIS ELEMENT.
THE GRIND
We pull up to the area's Virgin Active where the fly-half (fullback or inside centre-depending on what colours he's wearing) is a regular. He gets a warm greeting; he's misplaced his card, but the gates are open-no questions asked. Around him, there are looks of recognition, the rhythmic grunts, clinking metal plates and thrum of treadmills punctuated by a "Hey Damian" or "You ready for this weekend, hey?" here and there. In South Africa, after all, the Springboks are practically royalty.
"I used to lie in bed just picturing myself as a professional rugby player," says Damian, sipping on a takeaway coffee cup. We're now sitting outside on the gym's patio area, a gentle ocean breeze barely disturbing the sand of a beach volleyball court beneath us. "You know, I didn't have any doubts. I really believed that if I put my mind to it, put the work in, it would all work out." Damian grew up in Strand, a town wedged between Somerset West and Gordon's Bay. And despite having a similar proximity to the ocean as our current surrounds, living in the area is a far cry from Greenpoint's affluence and opulence. In Damian's own words: it's a tough upbringing.
Denne historien er fra November - December 2022-utgaven av Men's Health South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November - December 2022-utgaven av Men's Health South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Last 7 Recipe You'll Ever Need
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The Changing Face Of Cancer
While cancer rates are falling in older adults, they're increasing among younger age groups. It's a trend exposing holes in both diagnosis and care. It's also raised a new question for experts: how do you get vital and potentially life-saving information to people unaware they need it?
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 ADVENTURES
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4 WAYS TO REBOOT YOUR MINDSET
STRESSED ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD AND/OR YOUR SANITY? WE'VE GOT FOUR SIMPLE BUT ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO HELP YOU ADAPT AND OVERCOME, THIS YEAR AND BEYOND.
TRAIN TO YOUR MAX
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SLUSH FUN
FROZEN DAIQUIRIS ARE REFRESHI AND ALSO SICKENINGLY SWEET. TRY A FROZEN PIMM'S CUP, WHICH HAS ALL THE FLAVOURS WITH WAY LESS SUGAR.
THE HEALTH SNOB'S GUIDE TO COLD-BREW COFFEE
BOTTLED COFFEE MIGHT BE ABUNDANT, BUT CAFFEINE AFICIONADOS MAKE THEIR OWN. FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO PREP A HEALTHY BREW FOR A REFRESHING PERK-ME-UP.
SUPP CHECK RECOVERY PACKAGE
COLLAGEN IS TOUTED AS THE GO-TO SUPP FOR BONE, SKIN AND JOINT HEALTH, PLUS FAST INJURY REPAIR. BUT DOES IT DELIVER? TIME TO GEN UP.
THE SEMI-COMPLETE USER'S GUIDE TO...THE SINUSES
FOR AS LONG AS sinuses have been around, aka forever, there has been a ton that scientists haven't figured out about them.
BULLISH
The Blue Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier is striving for greatness. Here's how he's putting in the right reps to make sure mind and muscle are firing in unison.