‘Simply Insane’: How A Last-Minute Saturday Morning ‘Curve-ball’ Launched The Boks’ Newest Star At Ellis Park

Paul de Villiers admitted making his Springbok debut against England after receiving a late call-up was a nerve-racking experience, but said the support of his teammates and the squad’s meticulous preparation allowed him to embrace the occasion and produce a performance he will never forget.

The flanker was thrust into the starting XV on the morning of the Test after captain Siya Kolisi failed a late fitness test, leaving the uncapped De Villiers to fill the boots of one of South Africa’s greatest players in front of a packed Ellis Park crowd.

Despite the enormity of the task, the debutant produced a composed display as the Springboks claimed an emphatic 45-21 victory over England. He later described the experience as a “curveball” that became more surreal the closer kick-off approached.

“It was a curveball, but a nice one,” De Villiers said.

“At least I didn’t have the entire week to stress about it. The closer we got to Ellis Park, the more real it became. To see what it means to the people of South Africa is simply insane.”

The 23-year-old revealed he only discovered he would be starting on Saturday morning after Kolisi underwent a series of fitness tests.

“They did a few fitness tests with Siya on the morning of the game, so that’s when I heard about it,” he said.

Replacing a double Rugby World Cup-winning captain was always going to be a daunting assignment, but De Villiers said the collective support of the Springbok squad made the transition far easier than he could have imagined.

“It’s massive shoes to fill,” he admitted.

“The way the team stuck together helped me a lot. They looked after me and each other, so it helped me settle in much easier.”

De Villiers acknowledged that balancing the emotion of a Test debut with the need to remain focused was one of the biggest challenges of the day.

“It’s odd because you want to take it all in, but you also want to stay focused. I just tried to manage that balance as best as possible,” he said.

“There were definitely nerves. I’m sure there are still nerves even if you’re earning your 50th cap. My nerves were probably greater than those of the rest of the guys.”

Kolisi also played a key role despite being ruled out of the match, with the captain helping to calm De Villiers before kick-off.

“Siya helped me a lot. He made me feel calm, but as I said, the entire squad helped me by making me feel comfortable and backing me, so that was awesome,” said the Stormers flanker.

Having successfully negotiated his first Test appearance, De Villiers believes the victory over one of the world’s top teams will provide a valuable confidence boost, while insisting there is still plenty of room for improvement.

“England are not a bad team, and to be trusted to pull the jersey over your head is very special,” he said.

“I am just focused on contributing to the team in whichever way I can. The team played well, but there is still a lot we can do better, which will be addressed and worked on during the week. It’s a confidence booster to play well against England.”

The debutant also praised the composure shown by the Springboks when England threatened to claw their way back into the contest, saying lessons learned from last year’s defeat to Australia had helped prepare the squad for difficult moments.

“I wasn’t in the team last year that lost to Australia, but we learned a lot from that defeat. For the squad that played in that game, it was good for them to go through that experience so they could keep the younger guys like me calm,” he said.

“When England pushed back a bit, we settled down. After the chats at half-time, we came out and played well again.”

Although the call-up came only hours before kick-off, De Villiers said the Springboks’ training environment ensured he never felt underprepared.

Alongside fellow newcomer Cameron Hanekom, De Villiers had already spent weeks immersed in the national setup through alignment and training camps, allowing the step up to Test rugby to feel far less intimidating than many would expect.

“Myself and Cammy actually go a long way back. We played together for the Junior Boks. We attended two alignment camps and spent two or three weeks here training,” reflected De Villiers.

“The standard of training is almost the same as Test-level rugby. We are used to that standard, and the coaches prepare us so well.

“Even though I didn’t know I was playing until Saturday morning, I was ready because of the way they prepare us.”