The awkward moment Willemse reminded he can't get ahead of himself
Damian Willemse hasn’t known anything like it so far in his embryonic Test level career with the Springboks. He made a Test debut as a 20-year-old in 2018 but it hasn’t been until now that his face has properly fitted into his country’s selection plans, the utility back getting chosen to play in all six of their most recent matches – once as a starter at full-back and the rest as backline bench cover.
It’s a run of regular appearances in stark contrast to what has gone before, intermittent use in his breakthrough season followed by some harsh lessons the following year where he only made the World Cup squad as a mid-tournament injury call-up, going on to play just a single match – the easy-street win over Canada.
Now, though, the value of Willemse to the Springboks is considerably altered. New head coach Jacques Nienaber certainly likes the cut of his jib, including him in all of the Test match 23s announced since the start of July. And yet, the reminders of not getting too far ahead of himself are never too far away for Willemse.
There he was on the virtual media briefing link on Friday from the Gold Coast, replying to a question posed by RugbyPass about his increased value to the Springboks, when assistant coach Mzwandile Stick interrupted to remind him he still can’t be sure of his place in the current pecking order. “If you make the squad of 23,” interjected the backs coach mid-sentence.
A smile eventually accompanied the spontaneous interruption but all the same, it was a subtle shot across the bows of Willemse, a reminder that the 23-year-old must become an expert in his versatile role if he is to continue to figure in Nienaber’s Springboks selection plans.
Ex-All Blacks boss Hansen didn't hold back in his weekend criticism of the Springboks, stinging remarks that were put to South African boss Jacques Nienaber at his Tuesday media conference in Australia https://t.co/LYPpSdHKXd
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 31, 2021
“I’m really fortunate to be able to be in the match 23,” he enthused in his initial answer before Stick’s mid-flow interruption. “There are a lot of quality players like Frans (Steyn), Jessie (Kriel) all missing out and for me, it is an opportunity every week to go and use the opportunity and make the best out of it…”
Then came the unexpected interruption before the continuation of his answer. “…If I do make the squad of 23. I am really enjoying it. The team has been performing very well so it has been enhancing my chance to get into the team and to continue my run, but I am happy with the way the team is going and the trust in what the coaches have been putting into me. I have been really enjoying that and I’m looking forward to the next four weeks.”
Fresh from series victory over the Lions and back-to-back successes over Argentina in a Test season that commenced with a win over Georgia nine weeks ago in Pretoria, the Springboks are now quarantining in Queensland ahead of their upcoming battles versus the Wallabies and the All Blacks.
It’s a huge trip for Willemse and some fellow youngsters in the Springboks set-up and he paid particular tribute to the encouragement given by the likes of veteran Steyn. The 34-year-old could understandably be frustrated by his own limited matchday involvement in recent months, but not a jot. Instead, his presence in the squad has been invaluable to those rookies making their way at Test level.
“I have been training with Frans the entire time leading up to the upcoming Tests and I must say he is such a chilled guy,” reckoned Willemse later in the Springboks media briefing. “He is working really hard at his game and just to have him with us, his presence in the team, he is always calm, always comes up with the plan, always clear communication.
“I have been really enjoying him as a person on and off the field. He really works hard at his game and to think a guy like him at his age as well, who is probably not 100 per cent, he still gives it 100 per cent. I have been really enjoying him and he is helping a lot of the youngsters, especially in the backline.
“(Aphelele) Fassi and I and a few other guys, you can really see how we are enjoying him. Frans Steyn has really been helping me a lot when it comes to game management, the way he also keeps the ball. I have been learning a few tricks from him and he is not shy to share them as well.”
It helps that Willemse is now more comfortable with his own versatility, more than happy to help out the Springboks in a variety of positions rather than insist he must be only be considered for one particular position. “For me, I don’t have a preferred position,” he explained. “The preferred position is to try and make the 23.
What Duane Vermeulen unselfishly said to Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber in the week of the final Lions Test illustrates how impressive a character he ishttps://t.co/qVdsCTSHh3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 1, 2021
“There is a lot of quality players who aren’t fortunate enough to make the match 23 at the moment, guys with 40, 50, 60 caps behind their names. For me it is all about developing my skill set, working with the coaches, understanding the plan and if the plan is there for me, executing that and building on the current win rate of the team.
“The coaches are really helping me develop my skill set, whether it is required at No15 or No12. Especially coach Stick with the high balls, we work really hard on that, and just some game management stuff if I want to play at No15. And then at No12 there is a clear role for me, what I need to do in the team.
“We have a specific plan for how we want to win Test matches… Management is putting the team in the right place so we can force pressure and turn the ball over and make our wingers like Makazole (Mapimpi) and Cheslin (Kolbe) get into the game and score brilliant tries. That is one of the areas that I have been working on, trying to focus on.
“I had this conversation earlier today and we were talking about how small the margins are. If you do make a mistake it might be a small mistake but it will be five, seven points, especially against teams like Australia and New Zealand who have a lot of skilful players and a lot of armour in their backline as well. It’s all about playing clever and playing smart against good opposition, but we also have a plan.”
Having arrived in Australia last Friday, the Springboks will soon be free from quarantine at their Gold Coast hotel and will be able to venture outside that facility. When it happens, Willemse has one specific goal. “I want to go to the beach. We are looking forward to that.
“Everyone is really excited to go into normal life again if I can call it that. We have been in the bubble for quite some time. We are staying at a very nice hotel on the Gold Coast and there is a vibe in the team. Everybody is getting along and for the next four weeks, it is going to be rugby focused and making sure we continue to deliver the results on the field.”
Former Springboks scrumhalf and Saracen double centurion Neil de Kock explains how the Springboks pull off magic. #RugbyChampionship #Springboks https://t.co/UPyDUTkYZK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 2, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments