‘Method To The Madness’: Willemse

Springbok utility back Damian Willemse has praised South Africa’s resilient squad depth and “winning culture” after debutant Paul de Villiers and the matchday replacements seamlessly overcame the late, dramatic withdrawals of both Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth against England.

Kolisi was ruled out before kick-off, forcing a reshuffle that handed Stormers flanker De Villiers his Test debut in one of the biggest matches of his career.

Despite the late disruption, South Africa barely missed a beat, with the 23-year-old producing a composed performance in the Springboks’ convincing victory.

Willemse, who knows De Villiers well from their time together at the Stormers, was full of praise for the newcomer.

“The milestone and victory are special for the team and for Paul (de Villiers). Shout out to him. He did amazing. When Siya went down, he got called up to start in such a big Test match and performed,” Willemse said.

The Springboks were dealt another major blow before kick-off when veteran lock Eben Etzebeth was also ruled out, leaving the world champions without more than 240 Test caps’ worth of experience. Yet the seamless manner in which the replacements slotted into the side reinforced the squad depth that has become a hallmark of Rassie Erasmus’ tenure.

For Willemse, the performance reflected the culture that has been built within the national setup, where every player is expected to be ready regardless of their place in the matchday squad.

“It speaks volumes about the character and the maturity we’re building within the team,” he said.

The 50-Test Springbok credited Erasmus and the coaching staff for creating an environment in which players can step into high-pressure situations with confidence.

“Credit to coach Rassie and all the management staff involved. A guy like Paul thought he wasn’t going to play, but when the opportunity came, he was ready,” Willemse added.

De Villiers’ composed debut served as another reminder of the Springboks’ remarkable depth as South Africa comfortably overcame the loss of two of their most experienced leaders.

Erasmus has consistently emphasised the importance of building competition for places throughout the squad, and De Villiers’ assured display against England highlighted the strength in depth that continues to underpin the Springboks’ success.

De Villiers has been included in the side that will face Scotland at Loftus Stadium on Saturday in the second match of the Nations Championship.