Embrose Papier has opened up on the evolution of his game after earning a call-up to the Springboks' second alignment camp in Cape Town, his first involvement with the national set-up since 2018.
The 29-year-old Bulls scrumhalf made seven Test appearances under Rassie Erasmus in 2018 — including his debut off the bench in Washington DC against Wales — before dropping out of contention for the next eight years as the Boks went on to win consecutive World Cups.
Papier credits a more measured, analytical approach to the game as the key driver of his return to the national radar. "In the past, I used to just pass a lot and see what happens. But now I analyse teams. I try to steal lines after I pass," he told Rapport. "The more experience you gain, the better decisions you make. You can scan teams and see what they are weak at."
He also points to temperament as a significant area of growth. "I became a lot calmer over the years and started making better decisions on the field."
Papier identifies his speed as his primary weapon and is acutely aware of its shelf life. "It's something I'll have to keep working on, because I'll lose it one day when I get older. But right now, I'm trying to make it my main thing." Kicking has been another deliberate focus — mixing length and placement — alongside the fundamentals of fitness, passing and reading when to accelerate or slow the game.
His Bulls form this season has been the platform for the recall. He has scored nine tries across the URC and Champions Cup campaigns, sitting three behind Evan Roos at the top of the URC try-scoring charts, and ranks among the competition's leaders in several attacking metrics.
Papier was not included in the first alignment camp in March but was among the 40-man group selected for the Cape Town camp. He declined to detail the specific homework Erasmus assigned him, saying only that "for every No. 9 there is always something you can work on."