Sititi tips De Villiers as tour threat while fighting his own way back into All Blacks’ Test plans

Wallace Sititi has praised Springbok flanker Paul de Villiers ahead of the Greatest Rivalry tour while working to regain his own Test spot.

All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi has singled out Springbok youngster Paul de Villiers as a player to watch during the Castle Double Malt Greatest Rivalry tour, even as he himself battles to force his way back into the All Blacks’ Test starting lineup.

Asked about the 23-year-old Stormers flanker who has taken the Springbok environment by storm this season, Sititi did not hold back.

“Big boy,” he said. “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,” Sititi said at a media session ahead of Friday’s tour opener against the Stormers.

It is high praise from a fellow loose forward who knows exactly what it takes to function at the breakdown in the Test arena. De Villiers has featured in every Springbok match-day squad this season – the only recent debutant to achieve that distinction – completing 16 tackles and eight carries against Scotland while earning rave reviews from World Cup winners Bakkies Botha and Kwagga Smith.

His low body position at the jackal and his ability to slow ball at the breakdown has drawn comparisons to Heinrich Brüssow, the breakdown specialist who tormented the All Blacks decades ago.

SITITI LOOKING FOR A WAY BACK INTO THE TEST FOLD

For Sititi, the acknowledgement of De Villiers’ quality comes against a personal backdrop of genuine challenge. The Kiwi flank, who made his Test debut in Cape Town two years ago, has had a difficult run of form due injury-related issues and finds himself currently outside the Test selection picture under new coach Dave Rennie.

“All Blacks is a high-performance environment that expects the best,” Sititi said plainly. “When you don’t play your best, they get someone to do it because there’s a lot of quality out here. Obviously, it’s tough. But at the same time, we support each other.”

Asked whether he has a clear roadmap back into Test contention, Sititi kept his answer refreshingly simple. “I’m just trying to enjoy the footy,” he said. “When I play my best, I feel like that’s the focus too.”

The midweek tour fixtures against the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions offer Sititi that exact platform.

“Those mid-week games against the Super franchises, we treat it like it’s a Test match,” he said. “We know what the quality is like here. At the same time, it’s an opportunity. We just love playing footy.”