Stormers wing Seabelo Senatla said he will not turn his backflip try celebration into a habit. He wants to save the move for special occasions only.
Senatla did the flick-flack in front of a full DHL Stadium in Cape Town after scoring against the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship (URC) last weekend. His try opened the scoring in a 39-22 win for the Stormers.
“I don’t think I’ll do a backflip again unless it’s a special occasion, maybe if I score a hat-trick or something like that, because I want to keep that moment really sacred,” Senatla said, IOL Sport reported.
The match against the Sharks was the Cape side’s first home game of the season. It was also the first time the team played in its retro ‘Men in Black’ kit.
The black kit pays tribute to the Stormers team of the late 1990s. Some players from that era were at the stadium to watch the game.
Senatla said the celebration fitted the day because it marked the team’s first home try of the season in the new kit. He said fans should not expect to see it every time he scores.
“It’s going to lose its significance if I do it all the time. People are going to get used to it, and then the gravitas of the moment is going to dissipate,” he said.
The winger explained why the Sharks game meant so much to him and his teammates.
“I still want to keep it as special as possible because it was a special moment when I did it against the Sharks. It was our first game back in black, with some of the ‘Men in Black’ from the late 1990s there. So, it was a special occasion,” Senatla said.
“I don’t want to dilute it though by doing the backflip all the time,” he added.
The backflip was one of the most memorable moments of the afternoon at the DHL Stadium. The crowd cheered loudly when the fast winger flipped over after crossing the line.
Senatla said he wants to link the move with moments that matter to him and to the team. He does not want it to become a normal part of every try he scores.
The Stormers host the Welsh side Scarlets on Saturday in their second home match of the URC season. Kick-off is at 4pm.
Based on his own words, fans will only see the backflip again at that game if Senatla scores three tries.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Sport. Image: IOL Sport. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.