Even though Springboks utility back Damian Willemse has done well when playing at full-back for the world champions, he is a much better player at inside centre.<\/b><\/p>\n
That is the verdict on former Springboks star Conrad Jantjes when asked about the current battle for South Africa\u2019s number 15 jersey.<\/p>\n
Jantjes<\/a> represented his country at full-back in 24 Tests between 2001 and 2008 and also won a bronze medal as part of South Africa\u2019s sevens squad at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.<\/p>\n He appeared recently on the Behind the Ruck<\/a> podcast and was asked for his views on the current Springboks<\/a> team, particularly the full-back position with the likes of Aphelele Fassi, Willie le Roux, Willemse<\/a> and even world class wing Cheslin Kolbe all wearing the green and gold number 15 jersey at Test level during 2025.<\/p>\n Willemse is a vital cog in the Boks machine and shone at full-back during their recent victorious Autumn Nations Series Tests against France, Italy, Ireland and Wales.<\/p>\n Plenty of credit to the Springboks forwards<\/p>\n Jantjes feels the excellent performances of the Boks\u2019 pack of forwards gives their backline a superb platform to play from.<\/p>\n \u201cI love the way they play the game, if we speak specifically about the Springboks now,\u201d he said. \u201c(But) who is not going to shine behind a pack like that?<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, I mean, Sacha FM (Feinberg-Mngomezulu), he\u2019s got go-forward every single day. Guys (opponents) are getting blown away at ruck time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just there. So, the full-backs have come a lot more into the game. I\u2019m a big fan of Damian (Willemse).<\/p>\n \u201cThe first time I met Damian, they had a pre-season camp and I was chatting to him and I said, \u2018Damian, what do you prefer?<\/p>\n Springboks: Rassie Erasmus joined by hundreds of fans on annual Christmas Day walk in Cape Town<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cLike 10, 12 or 15\u2032? And I like Sacha at 10, I always liked him. And he was like, nah, he (Willemse) likes 15.<\/p>\n \u201cI know what he was gonna say, \u2018Wherever they want to play me\u2019, and I was like, \u2018Yeah, bro, I just like you at 12\u2019.<\/p>\n \u2018You\u2019re a ball player\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI said, \u2018You know what, you\u2019re a ball player\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Jantjes said he is a big fan of the Springboks\u2019 style of play, where players like Feinberg Mngomezulu and Willemse are pulling the strings in the backline and revealed that he wouldn\u2019t have minded playing alongside that duo if he was still active.<\/p>\n \u201cI would have loved to have played with a Sacha, a Damian,\u201d he said. \u201cCan you imagine the space you get out wide? You think you\u2019re gonna leave those guys alone? They\u2019re just gonna stand there and pass.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you have to check them, which creates all the space out wide.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know what I mean? I\u2019m a big fan of Damian at 12. And when he performed like that against the All Blacks (in Wellington), I gave it the biggest (thumbs up).<\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019ve got so many guys like, he can perform at 15.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is a 15, but I still like him as a ball player.\u201d<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n