High respect across international lines ahead of a historic rugby tour.
All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi has singled out rising Springbok flanker Paul de Villiers as a major threat ahead of the Castle Double Malt Greatest Rivalry tour, even as the Kiwi star works to regain his own spot in the New Zealand Test starting XV.
Speaking to the media ahead of the All Blacks’ tour opener against the Stormers on Friday, Sititi did not hold back in praising the 23-year-old Stormers breakdown specialist who has taken the Springbok environment by storm this season.
“Big Boy, Loves the Collision”: Sititi Hails De Villiers
“Big boy,” Sititi said of De Villiers. “He loves the collision battle. Good over the ball. He’s a quality footy player. Hopefully we’ll be able to see him a couple of times throughout this tour.”
De Villiers has emerged as a cornerstone of the Springbok match-day squad this season, completing 16 tackles and 8 carries against Scotland while drawing comparisons to legendary breakdown maestro Heinrich Brüssow for his lethal jackal work.
Sititi Targets Midweek Fixtures to Reclaim Test Jersey
For Sititi, acknowledging De Villiers’ rise comes as he navigates his own selection battle under head coach Dave Rennie following a frustrating run of injuries.
- Selection Fight: “All Blacks is a high-performance environment that expects the best. When you don’t play your best, they get someone to do it… But at the same time, we support each other.”
- Midweek Focus: Sititi plans to use midweek clashes against SA franchises (Stormers, Sharks, Bulls, and Lions) to reignite his game: “Those midweek games against the Super franchises, we treat it like it’s a Test match. It’s an opportunity.”
