After just two Test starts, Paul de Villiers is already drawing serious praise from Springbok legends. Schalk Burger singled him out as the standout from a heavily capped-down side against Scotland, highlighting his work rate and ball-carrying skill set. SuperSport commentator Hanyani Shimange went further, likening his link play off line breaks to Josh Kronfeld — high praise for a 23-year-old with fewer than 10 caps. Cobus Wiese also featured in the discussion, with both Burger and Shimange identifying him as a potential World Cup asset given his versatility across lock and the back row, despite some early penalty concessions against Scotland.
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Paul de Villiers drawing Josh Kronfeld comparisons after back-to-back Bok starts
Schalk Burger and Hanyani Shimange have been effusive about Paul de Villiers's early Test impact, with Shimange drawing Josh Kronfeld comparisons for his link play off breaks. Cobus Wiese's versatility also flagged as a 2027 World Cup asset.
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