Paul de Villiers will make only his fourth Test appearance when he starts at openside flanker for South Africa against New Zealand at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Stormers player has been asked to fill the void left by injured Springbok captain Siya Kolisi in the opening match of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’s four-Test series between the world’s top two ranked sides.
Pieter-Steph du Toit will captain South Africa in Kolisi’s absence, while De Villiers will pack down alongside du Toit and Jasper Wiese in the back row.
The match has been widely anticipated as one of the standout fixtures in world rugby, although both teams have been forced to cope with significant disruption during an intense build-up. South Africa lost Kolisi to injury, while New Zealand sent four players – Caleb Clarke, George Bell, Ollie Norris and Billy Proctor – home and replaced them.
De Villiers made his Test debut against England at Ellis Park last month. He has since played against Scotland and Wales, taking his international total to three caps before being selected for the biggest challenge of his young career.
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus rejected the suggestion that the occasion would represent an unmanageable baptism of fire for the uncapped openside.
“Look at every player individually. This is Paul’s fourth Test, and his first Test against the All Blacks,” he said. “I think he doesn’t feel too calm, but how Siya, Marco [Van Staden], and Brannas [Deon Fourie] have helped him in the last few weeks, I think he knows his job very well and he’s very focused.”
Assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said the coaching staff’s early faith in De Villiers had helped prepare him for the demands of facing leading opposition.
“The trust that we’ve showed in Paul de Villiers from the beginning against big teams gave him an opportunity and now everyone is talking about him,” he said.
“One thing that I enjoy about him is his maturity at that age,” Stick added. “He understands his role very well in the team and like we always say, irrespective of your age, if you take full ownership of what needs to be done in the team, you are also a leader and a senior in your space.”
Stick acknowledged that New Zealand would present a challenge unlike any De Villiers has previously encountered at international level.
“Playing against the All Blacks is a different beast, it’s probably one of the toughest games you can ever play in your career,” Stick admitted. “But I must say the boy is very smart when it comes to his head and the way he works.
“He’s the right person for the job because he’s a warrior who doesn’t stand back for anyone and that’s what you need for this game.”
De Villiers’ selection also comes at a time when New Zealand’s approach at the breakdown has attracted criticism from South African teams and the Springbok coaching group. Coaches from the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls reported “tucked shoulders” and reverse-arm cleanouts during recent tour matches against the All Blacks.
Springbok assistant coach Felix Jones subsequently identified the technique as a recurring feature of teams coached by Dave Rennie. Rennie and New Zealand strongly denied the allegation.
Erasmus believes De Villiers’ strengths extend well beyond his ability to compete for possession on the ground.
“When we talk about the breakdown, it’s not about stealing the ball,” Erasmus explained. “They [the All Blacks] keep you on the ground, you come off the ground when they’re done cleaning up.
“The Boks will steal the ball in the right place, but he is more than that [a fetcher],” Erasmus argued. “He’s a great ball carrier, he’s a great cleaner, he’s flipping good behind the ball, and he’s a great scrambler on the side of the scrum.”
“Paul is the kind of player that is above average in most areas with three or four areas where he is world class,” Erasmus offered.
Du Toit, who is preparing for his 99th Test appearance, highlighted De Villiers’ fitness, pace and strength over the ball.
“One of his strengths is his fitness,” Du Toit said. “He’s a very fit guy and has good speed as well, and very strong, especially when he’s over the ball.”
That skill set, Du Toit said, provides South Africa with an additional option at the breakdown.
“He brings us a different strength when it comes to the breakdown.”
The stand-in captain has also been impressed by De Villiers’ communication, despite his limited experience at Test level.
“He’s a young player, but he also acts like a senior. He’s very comfortable in his body, in his position, and in who he is as a person,” Du Toit added.
De Villiers will discover whether he can live up to those assessments when Matthew Carley blows the final whistle at Ellis Park on Saturday night.
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