DHL Stormers legend: Gio Aplon
Gio Aplon was a gamechanger who did things in a DHL Stormers jersey that defied belief and made him a hero to the Faithful.
A case could be made for Gio Aplon’s legendary status in DHL Western Province rugby based purely on his numbers, but Aplon’s style and impact on the game defines his legacy far more than just the caps he earned and the tries he scored.
Between 2005 and 2013, Aplon made 95 appearances for DHL WP, scoring 32 tries. He would make his DHL Stormers debut two years into his DHL WP career, and between 2007 and 2014 he played 84 times for the Super Rugby franchise, scoring 17 tries.
Aplon was a joy to watch, and a pioneer in his position not just in the Western Cape, but at Springbok level, too.
Aplon continued the efforts of Breyton Paulse and Brent Russell to carve out a space in South African rugby that favoured skill and intelligence over weight and height.
The Boks’ preferred starting wingers for the past year have been Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse. The former is a national treasure, the latter will play many Tests for the Boks.
The fact that Aplon’s Test career was limited to 17 appearances between 2010 and 2012 speaks to the outdated size-biased selection system that still reigned supreme in South African rugby while he was in his prime.
And so it was primarily at domestic level that Aplon etched his rugby legacy, swerving his way through the best of the best during a period in which Super Rugby was at its strongest.
Aplon had such a distinctive running style; a sidestep that almost always broke the first line of defence, but the balance to continue making metres despite having gone from left to right to left within seconds, leaving defenders hanging off his shorts and ankles.
That step troubled defensive structures in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup for many years.
Following his career in Cape Town, Aplon went over to France and then Japan to continue to break ankles well into his late thirties.
Aplon’s skill should not be remembered just for being a hot-stepper – his rugby intelligence was immense. He ran elusive angles at the gainline, often coming in from his wing and confusing defences at first receiver.
He was deadly on the counter-attack, with a keen eye for space and the pass to often put his teammates into scoring positions.
Aplon will be remembered for his many tries and try-assists, yes. But mostly he will be remembered for making rugby so enjoyable, especially to a generation of Capetonian supporters whose formative years as DHL Stormers fans were coloured by the scrum cap and sidestep unique to the fan favourite, Gio Aplon.
Gio Aplon’s DHL Stormers numbers:
84 – The number of matches he played for the DHL Stormers from 2007 to 2014
17 – The number of tries he scored for the DHL Stormers
