Hooker is thriving in the Springboks’ environment

FOR Ethan Hooker, every day inside the Springbok camp feels like an education, a fast-tracked rugby degree delivered under the eye of world-champion coach Rassie Erasmus.

- JOHN GOLIATH

ETHAN Hooker has been one the Springboks' finds of the season.

(AFP)

The young Sharks back has developed rapidly since making his Test debut this year, but he insists the acceleration has less to do with natural talent and far more to do with the demands of the environment he now calls home.

“I'm very privileged to be in the situation I am now,’ Hooker said ahead of the Springboks’ Test against Italy at the Juventus Stadium in Turin on Saturday. “Just being in such an environment with such good players and such quality coaches, it automatically ups your game. I just try to take away as much as I can every single day and build on myself every single day with the players I have around me.

“I think what's special about this environment is that everyone's so eager to always better themselves. No one ever gets complacent with how they're performing: