Anru's looking good in black

It is little wonder that rugby is such a passion for Anru Erasmus.

The 18-year-old spent the first 15 years of his life in South Africa and now resides in New Zealand – his young life effectively spanning what has been labelled “rugby’s greatest rivalry”.

He may have craved green and gold glory in his formative years, but it was in a black jersey that Anru achieved international status.

Earlier this year he wore the silver fern with pride, representing his adopted country as part of the New Zealand under 18 sevens side which took part in the Global Youth Sevens in Auckland.

His efforts at that prestigious tournament attracted the attention of the national selectors who chose him for the NZ senior Development Squad which recently undertook a trip to Fiji.

Anru labelled the opportunity to represent New Zealand as “something really special for me and my family”.

“Since I moved here, I have set a goal of becoming an All Black [in sevens or 15s] and I am working really hard towards achieving that. It was really exciting to put the [NZ] jersey on for the first time,” he said.

And it is not only the sevens fraternity chasing the elusive outside back.

He is firmly on the Tasman Mako and Crusaders’ radar, both as a member of the Crusaders Academy and having signed a two-year development contract with the Tasman Rugby Union.

Consequently, at this early stage he is unsure which direction his rugby career will go, although he admits to leaning towards the sevens scene after rubbing shoulders with some of the players involved in the HSBC SVNS circuit.

“I really enjoy the time and space you get in sevens, the freedom with the ball … it is really fun to just play your own game.”

As befits a young man growing up in rugby-mad South Africa, he had an early introduction to the game. His father, Roedolf, was a handy player in his youth, Anru following him to trainings and games in the Johannesburg area and relishing the rugby vibe.

The Erasmus family arrived in Marlborough in 2022, directly from South Africa, and Anru quickly found his feet on this region’s rugby fields.

His talents led to selection in the 2024 Marlborough Boys’ College First XV where his pace and ability to change a game made him an immediate standout.

He was chosen for the next-level Crusaders Knights camp in 2024-25 and is in contention for the New Zealand under-20 side over the next two years.

At this stage Anru plans to play club rugby for the Stoke club in Nelson, mainly to be closer to his Crusaders Academy and Mako training base.

Although divided on which direction his future pathway lies there is no doubting the young man’s passion and enthusiasm for the game, in whichever form it takes.

“I am just waiting to see where it takes me,” he said. “Rugby is in my blood and I just love the game – it’s really special.”