Damian Willemse will thrive as the first-choice flyhalf for the Springboks in the end-of-year Tests, starting against the No 1-ranked Ireland, according to Mark Keohane.

The world champion Boks will open a four-match tour to Europe with a sold-out clash in Dublin on 5 November.

South Africa are third in the official world rankings after the July internationals and the Rugby Championship, during which the highly talented Willemse announced himself as an exciting prospect in the green-and-gold No 10 jumper.

In his TIMESLive column, Keohane says the DHL Stormers playmaker must also start for the Boks against France, Italy and England, teeing him up to shoot out the lights at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

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“This season has certainly been Willemse’s international breakthrough year and he is invaluable in the context of the match 23. He is also in November going to be critical as a starting flyhalf,” Keohane writes.

“Damian Willemse must start at flyhalf in every one of the Springboks’ November Tests up north. He must also be given the goal-kicking responsibilities.

“The lack of goal-kicking accuracy will make the Bok coaches anxious and they may feel that [Johan] Goosen, a more recognised goal-kicker, is a safer option. Playing conditions, because of the weather, will be tougher than in the Rugby Championship but the environment provides for the perfect ‘dry run’ when thinking about the 2023 World Cup in France.

“Willemse and Goosen, as the tour progresses, could dovetail between 10 and 15 but in Dublin, against Ireland, Willemse would be my pick to do it all against the veteran Irish captain and flyhalf Johnny Sexton.”

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