Stormers loose forward Paul de Villiers says he’s not threatened by the pending arrival of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.
The Boks’ talismanic leader will rejoin the Stormers in July to be closer to his children, and one of his main roles, as defined by director of rugby John Dobson, is mentoring some of the younger loose forwards in the squad.
For De Villiers, the opportunity to learn from Kolisi far outweighs any concern about selection.
“I can gain more from it than anything else. It is obviously also a challenge [to play in the same team],” De Villiers told Rapport.
“Siya is a South African rugby icon. For me to learn from someone like that is a huge privilege. As long as I see it in that light and don’t focus on the fact that he plays in my position, the better.”
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Beyond the on-field impact, De Villiers believes Kolisi’s arrival is a major boost.
“It is definitely an incredible addition for the Stormers and the union, as well as for the whole Make Cape Town Smile mission that we have. Siya is probably one of the best guys we could have brought in for that.”
De Villiers’ own rise has been helped by opportunity, with the veteran Deon Fourie’s injury opening the door for him this season.
“Deon’s injury definitely gave me the gap to get my chance. I would have had to wait a bit longer if he hadn’t been injured.”
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
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