Paul de Villiers’ stock continues to rise with third straight Springbok start
· Citizen
Rising loose forward talent Paul de Villiers’ stock continues to rise as he prepares to make his third straight start for the Springboks in their Nations Championship clash against Wales at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
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De Villiers turned out for the Boks off the bench in their season opening non-Test against the Barbarians in Gqeberha last month, but he wasn’t picked in the match 23 to face England at Ellis Park a few weeks ago.
However, captain Siya Kolisi strained his hamstring during the captains run the day before the England match, and a late fitness test on the day ruled him out, which saw De Villiers slung straight into the starting lineup to make his official debut.
He put in a solid 45-minute shift in his first Test, and was duly rewarded with a second start against Scotland at Loftus last weekend.
The 23-year-old put in another strong performance, this time making it to the 66th minute when he was replaced by Vincent Tshituka, but seven minutes later he returned to the field as Tshituka was forced off with a head knock.
He now gets another golden opportunity to keep proving his worth against Wales, after coach Rassie Erasmus decided not to risk playing Kolisi, and De Villiers will hope to make another big statement, ahead of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks which starts next month.
Late notice
“I think the first game, I got the notice very late, so having more preparation time this time around has been good for me,” said De Villiers at the Boks’ team announcement in Durban on Monday.
“There were still a lot of nerves, but it was good to almost know what was coming and be more ready for the game. Credit to this environment, the coaches, and all the players around me. They really help everyone feel comfortable and ready to play.”
De Villiers spoke about his rise through the ranks, with him playing for the Junior Springboks three years ago, before getting his chance for the Stormers and making his way up to a Bok debut, and how training with the national side has prepared him for international rugby.
“You almost go through stages. You get used to senior rugby, then the Currie Cup, then the URC, and then you work toward the goal of getting into the Springbok squad,” explained De Villiers.
“Everything happens systematically. With the training standard during the week, you get used to what will happen on Saturday.”
“They’ve created an alignment in the squad where it’s not about the individual or the ego. It’s about the team. You put your ego aside and play toward a common goal.”
Saturday’s match in Durban kicks off at 5.40pm.