Nick Mallett has singled out Paul de Villiers as a shining light in the Springboks’ defeat to the Wallabies in Perth.
The former Bok coach praised the openside flank’s performance in a losing cause and said it highlighted the loose-forward depth Rassie Erasmus can call on.
“I think Paul de Villiers was outstanding,” Mallett said on the Talking Boks podcast.
“I think Cameron Hanekom at No 8 – I’m not talking about our starting [loose trio], which is Siya Kolisi, Jasper Wiese and Pieter-Steph du Toit – and I think Ruan Venter or BJ Dixon could play that seven flank really effectively. We’d have a hell of a [back-up] loose trio.
“One person we can honestly say gives 100% every time he plays, is reliable as the day is long, and that’s Paul de Villiers.”
That depth will be tested when the Boks return to Nations Championship action against Italy, France and Ireland in November. Mallett expects Erasmus to chase that title with the same intent he showed in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks.
“I think [Erasmus] is going to go for this league. There’s no competition South Africa is involved in which we don’t want to win,” Mallett said.
“I think a changed-up team for Italy and a fully available team for Ireland and France, and we’re going to try and finish first and try to beat the best northern hemisphere team in the final.”
MALLETT: Bok A team was on the bench
Mallett does not believe workload will keep the Boks’ senior campaigners at home, pointing to 147-cap lock Eben Etzebeth as an example.
“If you go on game time, the amount of minutes that Etzebeth has been played this year would be very few. So it doesn’t matter that he’s had six games in a row for the Springboks if he hasn’t had a lot for the last six months. He could go on this end-of-year tour with ease. There’s no problem for him. There’s no problem for Siya or Pieter-Steph du Toit.”
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Mallett expects a hungry group of backs to push for selection too.
‘We’ve got the ability to take a very strong squad, and people like Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu are going to be desperate to play. You can’t tell me that Damian Willemse won’t want to go on this trip and win this competition.”
Photo: Antony Dickson/Gallo Image
The post Mallett: De Villiers Bok Mr Reliable appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Nick Mallett has singled out Paul de Villiers as a shining light in the Springboks’ defeat to the Wallabies in Perth.
The post Mallett: De Villiers Bok Mr Reliable appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
