De Allende Reveals 2027 Rugby World Cup Ambition
There may not be much left for Damian de Allende to prove in international rugby, but the veteran Springbok centre insists his desire to improve remains as strong as ever.
The 34-year-old, one of South Africa’s most experienced players and a two-time Rugby World Cup winner, says his love for the game continues to fuel his pursuit of excellence as he prepares for another Test season.
“It is always special to be in the Springbok environment. Representing South Africa is what I have always dreamed of, and I’m happy to get another chance to do it,” de Allende said.
Asked what continues to motivate him after more than a decade in the green and gold, de Allende pointed to his desire to keep evolving as a player rather than resting on his past achievements.
“I just want to get better. The most important thing for me is that I am still enjoying my rugby. If I wasn’t enjoying my rugby, I would not feel like I am making a difference here or in Japan,” he said.
“I still feel very motivated. I want to continue to be the best in the world, and I would love to win one more World Cup.
“I know I am getting older, but I am taking it week by week and staying focused. I know there are lots of good youngsters coming through, and I feel like I am learning from them as well and still improving every week.”
While de Allende has featured in countless memorable Test matches, South Africa’s 2019 Rugby World Cup final victory over England immediately came to mind when he reflected on his favourite encounter against their old rivals.
“The most memorable would be beating them in the World Cup final in 2019,” he said with a chuckle.
Another match that stands out is the dramatic 42-39 comeback victory over England at Ellis Park in 2018, one of the defining moments of Rassie Erasmus’ first season in charge of the Springboks.
“For me, also the game at Ellis Park in 2018. That was our second Test together under Rassie, and we were down by nearly 30 points in the first 20 minutes.
“We were trying new methods in our game and getting used to new systems. At one point we had no answers and didn’t know what to do because we were still learning.
“We had to rely on our natural ability as South Africans, which helped us on the field. I am getting goosebumps just thinking about it because the momentum shift also changed the atmosphere in the stadium,” de Allende reflected.
Attention now turns to another England side that combines exciting young talent with experienced internationals, something de Allende believes makes Steve Borthwick’s team particularly dangerous.
“When you look at the Northampton players, like coach Rassie mentioned, and you watch Premiership rugby, they play a very good brand of rugby, and they are very attacking,” he said.
“They have very good players, but they also have a very good kicking game and will want to get into an aerial battle.
“We can speculate on how they might set up and play, but we need to focus on what we want to do and on delivering our best. We need to prepare ourselves, understand them better and be as accurate as possible on the field.”
Having earned Erasmus’ trust over the years to become one of the first names on the Springbok team sheet, de Allende’s experience will once again be invaluable.
Yet despite his decorated career, the veteran centre insists his ambitions remain unchanged, with his focus firmly on helping the Springboks achieve even greater success.
