- Springbok fly half Damian Willemse said instinct took over when he punched twice in a 27-13 win against England at Twickenham.
- Willemse also caused Kurt-Lee Arendse’s try to stun England’s sails in the first half.
- Willemse has grown stronger and stronger at 10, having started at the position in all four games throughout the tour.
In London
Springbok fly half Damian Willemse said instinct took over when he went for drop-goals in a 27-13 win against England at Twickenham on Saturday.
Willemse, who started in his fourth successive Test start, split the posts with two drop goals in each half to keep the pressure on England.
The six points that he obtained on those occasions were just the appetizer of an excellent game that he had as a pivot for the Boks.
Willemse, who came on tour as the third-choice selection at number 10 due to an injury to Handre Pollard and the absence of Elton Jantjies for personal reasons, furthered his street reputation in the position.
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Where he plays when Pollard is fit will be an interesting selection headache, especially with Willie le Roux having a wonderful return to form on tour.
Willemse said he practiced a few drop goals during the week, but instinct took over during the game.
“It was going through my mind because I think before that England defended pretty well,” Willemse said.
“It was one of those moments where I went back in the pocket and got all three points. I was very happy with the way I hit the ball.
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“I’m very happy to be able to contribute and help the team get over the line. We did a bit of training in the week, but at this point, it was instinct.”
Willemse’s mid-tour growth reflected the Boks’ gradual development from Dublin to London.
There was an insecure, panic-ridden nature to his game that stemmed from his goal kick in a 19-16 loss against Ireland on 5 November that leaked to the team.
When released from main goal-kicking responsibilities for the French Test a week later, he displayed flashes of calm, composure and game management that would be the hallmarks of his excellent displays in Genoa and London.
While both wins were adequate team efforts, it was easy to see how a confident and clear-thinking Willemse was a positive for the team.
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However, Willemse was happy to give credit to his forwards for how well he played at Twickenham on Saturday as the Boks snapped a six-year losing streak on the ground.
“I’m very happy with the performance and I think the forwards gave me a very good platform to contribute,” Willemse said.
“I’m very happy with that and I think overall we as a team clicked tonight. Willie le Roux and the wings were great.”
