MARK ETHERIDGE: Samantha Els finds own identity in rugby

From books to Boks, from self-proclaimed nerd to national player ... so goes the story of SA rugby star Samantha Els.

If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Samantha is the daughter of legendary SA golfer Ernie Els, a man synonymous with sporting success.

But while totally acknowledging the success of her dad, young Ms Els, 24, refuses to be pigeonholed as the daughter of the Big Easy and her drive is not to the green, but to be the best green-and-gold player rugby she can.

“Rugby is an expression of my own identity outside my dad’s legacy. Most definitely rugby [which I found relatively late in my young life] is my identity ... growing up I played all sports under the sun and soon realised that moving my body made me happy.”

She says her dad wasn’t entirely happy with her choice of sport.

“He took some convincing to get used to the idea of me playing rugby,” she laughs. “Both my parents are immensely proud of what I’ve accomplished so far and try their best not to pressure me on my decisions as they know I put enough of it on myself.”

She gives most credit to her mom, Liezl. “She’s been the backbone for both me and my dad’s sporting careers and without her we would not be where we are today. In fact I think she may just be the most competitive member of the family.

“My dad obviously understands the winning mentality and the anxieties that come with playing at the highest level. It’s immensely valuable to have someone like him in my corner, someone who understands how my brain works and what it takes to prepare for every game and every training session.”

Samantha has been based almost entirely outside SA for most of her life, having lived in the UK before the family relocated to the US. Key reason for the move was that Samantha’s brother Ben, now 21, has an autism condition and the medical treatment in the US trumped that of the UK at the time.

“My brother is my most prized connection in my life. We connect in our different ways and I get to be a bridge between him and the rest of the world — introducing people to the joy he brings to my life by allowing them to access his world.

“He’s been the hardest one to leave at home when I leave for long tours and camps for rugby. He’s been a huge fan of my rugby even since I was still in university, he tells anyone who will listen that ‘Samantha’s playing rugby’ regardless of where I am or what I may actually be doing at that time.

“He shows me the things that are important in life, like a good laugh from the belly.”

Graduating from Stanford University with a BS in Human Biology in 2022, she plans on returning for her Masters or PhD after school, depending on how her rugby career progresses, since making her debut for SA in late 2023.

“My interest lies in healthcare, especially as it pertains to neurobiology and I’ve worked in the autism world for the years since graduating.”

She still helps run a programme called Sam’s Sibs Stick Together — a support group and webinar series geared towards helping siblings of people on the spectrum understand and share their experiences while learning from researchers in the field.

Somewhat surprisingly she never felt a calling to golf.

“Never in the slightest, no interest in playing myself apart from some golf camps as a kid and a few trips to the driving range with dad [especially when we were bored during lockdown.]

“My drive [pun intended] came from my understanding of success. Growing up in a household where athletic ability pays the bills it makes sense why I placed such a high value on my sporting career,” she says. “But no, I’ve never played 18 holes in my life — my record is 14 before I’d had enough!”

For Samantha, rugby is her home from home, her second family.

“It’s the community, the camaraderie and acceptance I felt in a space where my natural traits were appreciated. I felt in a space where my natural traits were truly valued.

“I’ve never needed to soften my edges in rugby, my loud demeanour and big frame were actually immediately celebrated. For once I didn’t feel like I was taking up too much or too little space and the community and I fitted like golf.”

That “big frame” is perfectly suited to an aggressive sport like rugby.

She stands 1.81m in her rugby socks and weighs in at just under 80kg “so when I’m coming in at speed I’d like to think the opposition knows about it,” she says.

She’s always been a part of the pack, making her university debut as a lock but at national level for SA she’s recently got a chance to play blindside flanker.

“I’m loving it ... being a utility forward gives me the chance to be whatever the team needs at a given point, you can throw me in at three or four positions and I can make them work.”

Being on camp or on tour with the national women’s set-up is where Els excels.

“Being with the Boks is like drinking water from a fire hose, there’s just so much information to take in and the best thing you can do is be a sponge while you’re learning to execute the game plan. It’s been an incredible opportunity to learn and my game, physicality and mentality, have grown exponentially.” 

One just gets a sense that she’s in a happy space as the team head off for a series of three matches in Madagascar for Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and they’ll face Cameroon, Kenya and the host nation.

“Playing for a team who can inspire young girls and the next generation makes me happy. Look it’s not easy. As coach Louis [Koen] tells us, if it was easy, everyone would be a Bok. You need to have a why for why you’re doing this!”

She’s thriving in the diverse nature of the women’s squad.

“This team has so, so many people from different walks of life and cultural, racial, socioeconomic backgrounds. There’s someone like me who has mainly lived overseas and then some players who’ve never even been on a plane, let alone left the country.”

The saying goes that “home is where the heart is” but not for Samantha, she has no doubts.

“People often ask where my affinities lie but I’m unequivocally South African. Everything I have comes from being a South African. You almost cannot put it into words ... we have a tenacity beyond belief, and we approach the world with curiosity, we can make a joke about anything, from load-shedding to whether the government is working or not, there’s just a certain playfulness about us that I’ve seen nowhere else.”

But there’s also harsh rugby realities that she says that need to be addressed.

Much like fellow national player Nadine Roos, who has previously featured in this publication, bangs the drum about financial support, so too does Els.

“If we just had the support the men’s game has we can go so, so far. A brilliant example is the women’s Premiership in England which has changed the face of women’s rugby in that country and made them as competitive as they are now.

“That’s what happens when you put money into the system and support it at all levels. That’s why our SA men’s game is so strong. Just look at a club like Maties, where every single level from top to bottom receives proper support.”

She’s a dreamer (“I love reading and learning new stuff”) and a realist at the same time — “I don’t really have any of my own superstitions, I’ve been around sport for long enough to not tie my performance to a certain pair of socks”.

But one gets the idea that if the rainbow nation rose as one behind the women’s game in terms of financial and logistical support, Samantha would be right there at the forefront of socking it to the world.