Maritzburg United centreback Rushine de Reuck says his first Bafana Bafana call-up means even more to him than winning last season’s defender of the season award.

De Reuck said that‚ while he hopes for game time in the back-to-back 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sao Tome And Principe at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night (kickoff 9pm) or on Monday at Nelson Bay Stadium‚ his first call-up is more about learning.

The 24-year-old won defender of the season for an excellent 2019-20 campaign where he started all 30 of seventh-placed United’s league games in 2019-20.

“The most important is for me to keep up my consistency. I don’t really look at individual awards‚ but I’m very grateful that people are looking at me in that way‚” de Reuck said as part of his first Bafana camp in Durban.

“It’s always been my goal to be in the national team. Being defender of the season was very special for me but getting a call-up is even more special.

“It’s my first call-up. I’m still adapting. I just want to learn as much as I can from the guys who are older than me.

“I know my capabilities. And I just want to work hard‚ focus on the two games coming up now‚ and try and get six points.

“I’ve already learned from guys like Siyanda Zulu‚ Nazeer Allie and Bevan Fransaman [at Maritzburg]. I always say I’m so luck to have been able to play with them.

“I can say that they played a big part in my development and because of them I am who I am now.”

Two wins against 182nd-ranked Sao Tome will put 72nd-ranked South Africa – second in Group C on three points to Ghana (six points) – in a strong position to qualify for Cameroon 2022.