Springbok utility back Damian Willemse’s stock has risen significantly in 2022 after a barnstorming season for both club and country.
Willemse burst onto the club scene straight out of secondary school, making his debut for the Stormers in 2017 at the tender age of 18 years and 301 days, starting at fly-half.
The extensive talent of the 24-year-old was instantly apparent as Willemse took Super Rugby by storm. It was refreshing to see a player operating instinctually with his head up and playing what was in front of him.
Sit back, relax & watch this bit of absolute magic from Western Province flyhalf Damian Willemsepic.twitter.com/e1wLM9cVXb@eatsleeprugby
— RugbySpy #Ibiza10s (@RugbySpy) August 21, 2017
The versatile star only had to wait for the second year of his career to make his Test debut for the Springboks against Argentina in 2018, coming off the bench to replace Andre Esterhuizen.
However, Willemse did not have everything his own way as the Stormers’ form dipped, and the fly-half was burdened with the entirety of the playmaking load as the union itself began to fall apart. His form suffered as a result, with South Africa‘s rugby public concerned he would never reach his true potential.
To find his best form, he was thrown between multiple positions, namely full-back, where the idea was for Willemse to use his footwork and spatial awareness on counterattacks. However, after taking a while to make a holistic adjustment, he missed out on selection for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
The door did open for Willemse, who joined up with the squad after an injury to Jesse Kriel, which saw the hot-stepper score his first Test try against Canada in a pool match before hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup a few weeks later.
Now a World Cup winner and a reasonably experienced player, it was time for Willemse to kick on and become the star that it was believed he could be.
After Covid interrupted the majority of rugby in 2020, the Springboks welcomed the British & Irish Lions a year later, where Willemse stepped into Frans Steyn’s role as the versatile backline player on the bench, allowing the infamous 6-2 split.
Willemse’s value became increasingly evident throughout the series, and the planet seemed to start lining up for the Strand-born star.
The 2021/22 season saw rugby return in its entirety, complete with the South African sides making the shift to the United Rugby Championship. Willemse would have had no idea of the outrageous season that was to come.
Now a senior player in the Stormers squad despite his age, Willemse showed increased maturity throughout the campaign. He was initially selected at full-back before moving to inside centre to accommodate the rampaging Warrick Gelant.
The move quickly turned into a masterstroke for Stormers coach John Dobson. Willemse played outside fly-half Manie Libbok, a playmaker through and through, meaning the onus was not on him to create.
Finally, Willemse had the freedom to play instinctually again, whether it was a strong crash ball, a hot step, a long pass or even a clever kick out of hand. Before long, the synergy between Libbok, Gelant and Willemse produced the most beautiful running rugby as the Stormers began to build massive momentum.
This was somethin' else from Damian Willemse ?@Vodacom #URC | @TheStormers | #STOvGLA pic.twitter.com/xgMDB6E2GS
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) April 22, 2022
Playing the rugby of his life and a critical player for the in-form Stormers, Willemse unfortunately suffered an arm injury in the final game of the regular season and was initially ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
However, after the Stormers suffered another injury setback in their quarter-final, Willemse gritted his teeth, taped up his arm and produced an outstanding man-of-the-match performance in the semi-final of the URC. The single act of committing to play showcased immense maturity and accountability.
The Stormers would create history and win the title, with Willemse being picked at 12 in the dream team, completing a near-perfect club season.
He would have no idea that the upwards trend was only beginning as he was selected to start at full-back against Wales in the first Test of the July series. A poor performance from Elton Jantjies saw the Stormers star shifting to fly-half at half-time with Willie le Roux coming on at full-back.
The 24-year-old took complete charge of the game, despite not having played fly-half for several seasons. Willemse was decisive and clever on attack, intertwining with Le Roux at first receiver and was a crucial figure in a miraculous comeback, sealed with a clutch match-winning penalty with the clock in the red. An impressive feat for a player who has long passed on the kicking tee for the Stormers.
Damian Willemse going all the way up ??#SAvWAL #StrongerTogether #StrongerForever pic.twitter.com/ZWWq31UeB1
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 8, 2022
Willemse’s influence would be required off the bench in the second Test as it was obvious that he had arrived on the Test scene as a rapidly developing star teetering on world-class status.
Back in the starting XV for the third game, Willemse had officially leapfrogged Le Roux in the pecking order and dropped another blockbuster performance as the Springboks claimed the series. The hot-stepper’s name was undoubtedly in the hat for the player of the series as he was finally on track to reach his lofty potential.
Fast-track to back-to-back Tests against the All Blacks, and Willemse was one of the first names in the starting line-up and crucial to how the Springboks were operating. His versatility proved essential as he was required to shift from full-back to inside centre in both games due to injuries sustained during the Tests. He showed his quality with ball in hand as he carried hard and stepped well, coupled with his ridiculous passing range, and he proved his worth as a game-breaker as shown by his long pass out to Makazole Mapimpi on the wing setting up a crucial try for the Springboks.
Willemse is a Swiss Army Knife, a player who can perform a variety of roles to the highest of standards and will no doubt be a key figure for the Stormers and Springboks for years to come.
The alarming aspect of this all is that it is hard to see a ceiling for where Willemse can take his game. He is a committed and professional athlete in peak condition. His attitude is beyond himself and based on the team.
He is a coach’s dream and a star who seems destined to notch up more than a century of Test caps. A player for the future and a player for the present.
READ MORE: Springboks: Munster to take on South Africa Select XV in November
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