Paul de Villiers earns praise from Springbok mentors ahead of debut
Stormers flanker Paul de Villiers has earned the praise of current and former Springbok coaches Rassie Erasmus and Nick Mallett.

At just 20-years-old, Giliomee has already been around the block. In 2023, his talents took him to the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago where he won a bronze medal with the team. The teenager then helped his high school in Ceres, Charlie Hofmyer, to an unbeaten 2024 season.
Giliomee then featured for the senior Sevens team in 2025 and the Sharks were quick to sign him. After the move to KwaZulu-Natal, he earned more silverware with the junior Sharks that season, winning the SA Rugby U21 Cup.
So of course, when 2026 rolled around, Giliomee was destined for higher honours. The versatile backline player was picked for the Junior Springboks and made his senior Sharks debut in April, where he impressed with a try against Munster.
Now, Giliomee will run out in his third different team in green and gold this year, this time with No.15 on his back as SA 'A' face Zimbabwe in Gqeberha.
"I've been privileged enough to be in a lot of environments this year," he said.
"Thankfully, I'm still healthy and I can play in this Saturday's game. As a team, we've set standards for ourselves, and obviously we have some goals in mind, but personally I just want to go out there and perform, and hopefully I can transfer the things I've learned in the last two weeks from the players and coaches onto the field."
The talented youngster, who was named in the SA U20 squad last week for the Junior World Championship in Georgia, is under no illusion as to the challenge that awaits on Saturday.
"They are going to the Rugby World Cup next year and their preparation has been good, while they are also striving to become a good rugby nation," he added.
"We don't have a lot of footage of them, so we want to focus on ourselves, but we have a plan and we'd like to stick to that."