Captain Siya Kolisi says uncapped flank Paul de Villiers has already made a big impression with the Springboks.
The 23-year-old has been named on the Bok bench for Saturday’s non-cap clash against the Barbarians in Gqeberha after a stellar season with the Stormers.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Kolisi heaped praise on a player who will compete for his No 6 jersey.
“He destroyed everybody in the fitness tests and his work-rate around the field is admirable,” he said. “He’s a beast and the energy he brings lifts the people around him.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do when he gets his opportunity.”
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Kolisi was flanked by Vincent Tshituka, who will captain South Africa A in the curtain-raiser against Zimbabwe.
Both skippers said the training camp and Saturday’s matches were important opportunities for players to stake their claim.
Kolisi went so far as to say that the fierce competition for places and the energy brought by young players had made this “the hardest Springbok training camp ever”.
“One of the things that keeps this group hungry is the competition,” he explained.
“Nobody can settle and nobody can be comfortable because you don’t want that in the team. You know there’s always somebody coming through who is as good as you, if not better.
“It’s really good to see how the U20 guys have raised the standard of training.
“This has probably been the hardest camp we’ve had because the intensity has been so high.”
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Kolisi also dismissed suggestions that the Barbarians clash was a “festival game”.
“We’re playing a Test match in our minds because we’re representing South Africa and guys are getting an opportunity.
“It’s our first game of the season, so we want to make sure everything we’ve worked on during the off-season and the past week comes together.
“We want to play like it’s a Test match because we’re preparing for what lies ahead.
“A lot of us are playing for positions and trying to make the bigger squad that will be involved later in the season.”
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Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The post Siya: De Villiers is a beast appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Captain Siya Kolisi says uncapped flank Paul de Villiers has already made a big impression with the Springboks.
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