WATCH: Lions fly-half Jordan Hendrikse nails a 70-metre kick

Dylan Coetzee
Lions star Jordan Hendrikse kicks for goal.

Jordan Hendrikse of the Lions during the 2021/22 Vodacom United Rugby Championship between the Lions and Edinburgh at Ellis Park, Johannesburg on 02 April 2022 ©Gavin Barker/Sports Inc

During the warm-up for the Lions’ clash against the Stormers last weekend, playmaker Jordan Hendrikse, as all kickers do, was kicking off the tee from various distances.

Being a player who is used to kicking at high altitudes, where the ball carries further relative to sea level, Hendrikse took his kicking tee out to a whopping 70-metres and nailed the kick with something to spare in an outrageous effort. Perfect technique and perfect strike.

The young star was not required to use his excessive length off the kicking tee but slotted a conversion and three penalties during the clash as the Lions built up a 22-10 lead against the defending champions.

Glittering comeback

However, it was not to be for the Johannesburg men, who became the victims of a champions’ comeback as the Stormers went on to win the game 31-22 after a second half surge that saw superstar Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Clayton Bloemmetjies and Nama Xaba cross for second-half tries.

Hendrikse may count himself unlucky to have not earned selection for the Springboks or South Africa ‘A’ squads as the selectors preferred teammate Gianni Lombard on this occasion.

Nevertheless, the Lion has never been renowned for lengthy goal-kicking. This reminder of his kicking range would certainly turn heads and make him an attractive option for future selection.

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