Brüssow: Unleash Paul de Villiers on All Blacks 2026

Heinrich Brüssow has seen enough. The former Springbok breakdown master wants Rassie Erasmus to throw Paul de Villiers straight into the fire against the All Blacks — and backing from a man who redefined the jackal role in world rugby carries serious weight.

De Villiers Impresses Breakdown Legend Brüssow

The 23-year-old Stormers openside has forced his way into the Springbok picture this season, deputising after injuries to Siya Kolisi and Kwagga Smith. Brüssow, speaking to Rapport, is convinced De Villiers is no stopgap — he is a genuine weapon at the highest level, and the Greatest Rivalry series is exactly the stage to prove it.

"It's very nice to see that there is someone again who specifically focuses so completely on the loose balls," Brüssow said. His assessment cuts to the heart of it: the current laws have swung the breakdown pendulum back toward the specialist fetcher, and South Africa may have unearthed one of the best in the business.

More Than a Breakdown Specialist

Brüssow did not limit his praise to the breakdown. "He is also a good ball carrier. He is fast. His support play is good," he said. "It will be very nice to see him against the All Blacks. It is the right time to unleash him. He has already shown us what he can do. His mindset is right." That combination — work-rate, pace, ball-carrying and the mental edge — is exactly what the Springboks need at the collision zone against New Zealand's formidable loose trio.

The timing could not be more pointed. South Africa faces the All Blacks in the first Test of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series at Ellis Park on Saturday, with all four Tests completely sold out. The All Blacks arrive with momentum — they dismantled the Sharks 59-0 in Durban and put 50 on the Bulls at Loftus — so Erasmus will need every disruptive tool at his disposal.

Brüssow's vision extends beyond Saturday. "If you give the youngster enough Tests and as many Tests as possible against the All Blacks with next year in mind, we could go to the World Cup with perhaps one of the best ball thieves in the world," he said. "He really has a high ceiling." That is not idle praise from a pundit — that is the considered read of a man who lived this role, knew its demands, and can see in De Villiers what it takes to dominate it on the grandest stage. Whether Erasmus acts on it at Ellis Park will tell us plenty about how seriously the Boks are investing in their next breakdown identity.