De Villiers: Come back to SA for WC
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:19
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is standing by his belief that the World Cup squad should be made up of locally based players who will have played in the Super 15 in 2011.
This will remain the case despite the fact that there will be an opportunity for some overseas players to play in the Test match against Wales to be played at the Millennium Stadium on June 5 as earlier reported by Rugby365 (Click here).
"When I said that I won't play overseas players if there is anybody in this country that is good enough, I still stand by that statement because we need role models in this country," De Villiers told Rugby365 at a media conference in Cape Town.
De Villiers wants to ensure that the best possible 30-man squad is taken to next year’s World Cup and believes he must capitalise on the opportunity to assess some of the players with prior Springbok experience who are currently based in Europe.
South Africa's depth in certain positions is limited and this could be exposed if there are injuries leading up to the showcase event in New Zealand. The Bok coach’s overseas selections for the Welsh Test will be in line with the positions he feels could use more depth, which might open the door for a flyhalf such as Bath’s Butch James, if he can remain injury free.
"We will take from the guys who are playing overseas and who are playing in positions where I know we don't have real depth," De Villiers said.
"It is an opportunity for us and we won't have that opportunity again to look at our depth for the World Cup."
While reports of great form from players like James, Joe Van Niekerk, Shaun Sowerby, Frans Steyn and Wikus van Heerden is pleasing to hear, it is difficult to select them without assessing them in the same conditions as locally based payers.
In essence, what De Villiers is offering a few top overseas-based players is effectively a one-off Springbok trial for the World Cup.
"You will be very naive if you think you can just go to the UK and take the players there, the speed of the game is not the same, the way they approach the game is not the same," he said.
"I will never know if Joe Van Niekerk is still the player that he was a few years back.
"If they do well in that game I would love to see them back in South Africa playing Super 14.
"It will not be a requirement, but it will be first prize."
While these plans sound like a thorough search for the best talent available and the opportunity to bring some stars back home, there is also the worry that handing out Springbok blazers for one Test is cheapening what it means to represent your country. The Bok coach understands this and is unlikely to select any overseas players who have not played Springbok rugby in the past.
"You must deserve your national colours, I won't cheapen it," he confirmed.
By Timmy Hancox
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