As the winter sun rises over Loftus Versfeld, warming the chill from the highveld air, it also casts its golden spotlight once more on Damian Willemse — the mercurial Springbok fullback who returns to rugby’s grand stage after two years of enforced silence. His boots have been idle, his fire banked behind injury and suspension, but this weekend, the orchestra tunes up again and Willemse is set to play first violin in green and gold when South Africa tackles Italy in Pretoria.
I’m excited but a bit nervous. I have not played since the World Cup final. I need to get into the game and do my primary job at fullback.
The 27-year-old from Strand hasn’t tasted Test rugby since lifting his second Webb Ellis Cup in Paris in 2023. But there’s a poetic symmetry to his return — for it was here, beneath the shadow of the Union Buildings, that Willemse last painted a masterpiece in Bok green and gold.
Loftus: Where memories are made
The year was 2022. The Springboks were stuttering, their rhythm staccato, their confidence buckled under a spirited Welsh onslaught. And then, with the game hanging by the frayed threads of a rugby ball’s bounce, Willemse shifted into flyhalf and grabbed the conductor’s baton.
He kicked with the poise of Handre Pollard, slotting a penalty after the hooter that rescued the Boks from an embarrassing loss. 32–29. Loftus erupted, and Willemse announced himself not just as a utility back, but as a Springbok to trust when the heat of battle scorches the soul.
That is a good memory. It was a scary day for us at Loftus. We did well to come back in the second half.
Two years of dust and doubt
Since then, Willemse’s rugby path has looked more like a rocky mountain trail than a sunlit highway. A string of injuries cut short his momentum, stealing away valuable minutes with the Stormers and leaving him sidelined when the Springboks began their 2024 campaigns. And just when he was ready to gallop again, a suspension in the United Rugby Championship put the brakes back on.
Yeah, it's been a difficult year. After two years with injury, and then obviously the suspension keeping me out and stopping me from playing rugby. But I'm very happy to get another shot and for the coaches to believe in me. I'm excited.
Nerves? Of course. Even seasoned Test veterans feel the tremors. But for Willemse, the symphony of the anthem will be his cue to settle.
As soon as we sing the national anthem, I’ll start feeling at home. I’ll get my first touch and get into it. You never forget you are playing for the Springboks. It comes with pressure, but that’s part of it, and you look forward to the challenge.
Riding with the best
If Willemse is the returning prodigy, he’s flanked by legends. The back three — Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse — is less a combination and more a constellation. Stars aligned to dazzle. It’s a trio capable of slicing through defences like a hot knife through a slab of polony.
Kolbe, the dancing destroyer. Arendse, the twinkle-toed assassin. And Willemse — the counter-attacking conductor who sparks long-range tries like a flint striking fire.
We have classy, experienced outside backs that will look after me.
Midfield Magicians
At the heart of the Boks’ defensive fortress are Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende — South Africa’s trusted twin towers in midfield. Their chemistry is telepathic, their defence granite-hard, and their vision sharp as an eagle in flight.
They are both exceptional players. Their combination has grown. They’re strong leaders. A guy like Jesse has the opportunity to lead the team, and that is a reward for how much work he has put into evolving his game.
The new breed of hybrid Springboks
Willemse also tipped his cap to the shape-shifting André Esterhuizen, who last week turned out on the flank in a display that defied positional logic.
It was awesome to see that. We’ve witnessed the work he’s put in at training to become this hybrid player. It didn’t just happen — he worked hard and did a very good job getting stuck in with the big boys. It was exciting to see that development, but I’m happy at the back!
Back at the theatre
Loftus isn’t just a stadium. For players like Willemse, it’s a stage — one lined with ghosts of past greats and littered with echoes of victory and heartbreak. It’s where moments become memories and memories become folklore.
Willemse’s last act on this stage was heroic. Now, he returns not to relive the past, but to write the next chapter. He may feel rusty, a knight returning from a long winter. But make no mistake: once he gets his first touch, the sparks may fly. And if history is anything to go by, the fullback from Strand may yet make Loftus sing again.
