The Springbok fitness king? Stormers flanker makes a statement

Rassie Erasmus has delivered a massive endorsement for Stormers loose forward Paul de Villiers, revealing that the youngster topped the fitness-testing results in the Springbok camp ahead of Saturday’s season-opening clash against the Barbarians.

The admission came almost as an aside during the team-announcement press conference, with Erasmus catching himself mid-sentence as he realised the significance of what he was saying.

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"A guy like Paul de Villiers, he did the best of everybody in the fitness test," Erasmus said.

"Not that that should be the headline, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be.

"But I mean, he did the best of everybody in the fitness test, which is a hard thing.

De Villiers, who finished the URC season with 19 turnovers for the Stormers, has been named among the replacements for Saturday's clash against the Barbarians at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

He is one of three uncapped players on the bench alongside hooker JJ Kotze and flyhalf Vusi Moyo.

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The 23-year-old himself has been measured about the occasion, insisting his focus remains entirely on doing his job rather than the bigger picture of what a Springbok debut might mean.

Whether Erasmus intended it as a headline or not, the fitness-test result speaks for itself.