Rassie Erasmus has pinpointed Damian de Allende's battles against Sonny Bill Williams as the moment he knew the centre had the quality to become a long-term Springbok, with De Allende set to earn his 100th cap against the All Blacks at Ellis Park this weekend — becoming only the tenth South African men's player to reach the milestone.
"When he started playing against guys like Sonny Bill Williams, I'm a big Sonny Bill Williams fan, and he was one of the few guys who could really handle him," Erasmus said. "He's a very physical guy. One day, I will tell the story of when he and I actually had a scuffle. He's a really tough guy. He doesn't stand back for people, but he's a very reserved, quiet guy."
Erasmus was quick to challenge the perception that De Allende's value is primarily physical. "People think his skill is his physicality, but it's actually his understanding of the game, his passing, and his willingness to get involved. He doesn't talk a lot. He's been vice-captain a hell of a lot."
De Allende, who debuted in 2014 against Argentina before transitioning from outside to inside centre, has since been part of squads that won three Rugby Championship titles and two World Cups.
Damian Willemse added his own tribute. "He's a real character in the team. He's very reserved, but he knows how to get the team going. He never takes any praise, and he has stepped up in big games and played big roles for us. He is always available to train and to play — I'm not sure when the last time was that he missed a Test match or even a training session. He's just a really, really world-class player."
The 34-year-old from Milnerton starts at inside centre for the first Test of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.