Overview
- Giliomee, 19, was named at fullback for South Africa 'A' against Zimbabwe in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium curtain-raiser to the Springboks v Barbarians fixture.
- The pick completes a rapid rise that included SA Schools in 2024, sevens caps with the Blitzboks, Junior Springboks appearances and a standout URC debut for the Sharks in March 2026.
- Coaches have framed the Gqeberha double‑header as an experiment to assess uncapped players, with an SA 'A' appearance likely to tie a player to South Africa under eligibility rules.
- Giliomee says he is focusing on process and 'shutting out the noise' while crediting sevens for improving his defence, tracking and versatility that can be used across the backline.
- He will combine in the back three with Markus Muller and Zekhethelo Siyaya and will have experienced figures like Lukhanyo Am nearby to speed up cohesion in a short camp.