Damian Willemse is Springboks' future No 12-elect with tweaks, says former stalwart

The thinking here is nothing less than long-term, but Damian Willemse's Springbok future lies at inside centre.

Former Springbok winger and Bulls legend Akona Ndungane is absolutely convinced of that fact even though it's a prospect that will probably only come to fruition after next year's World Cup in France.

The gifted 23-year-old Stormers star has spent a fair amount of time in his customary fullback position in the current United Rugby Championship (URC), but - in keeping with the dynamic nature of head coach John Dobson deploying his play-makers - Willemse has delivered eye-catching performances in the No 12 jersey.

"I've been elated by John's decision to play him at inside centre this season," Ndungane, an 11-cap international and nowadays player representative and pundit, told Sport24.

"Damian's a maverick in some people's books, but there's no doubt that he's a play-maker. He can create some real magic.

"The reason I think inside centre is a good fit for him is that it's a position that balances his game. It's 'far' enough from the pressure of having to make a split-second decision at flyhalf yet also 'close' enough to let him influence proceedings regularly. 

"I know it was just a limited number of minutes, but it was revealing last year when he came on at 12 for the Boks against Georgia and really excelled. He really seemed to enjoy it."

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The caveat, however, is whether the Springbok coaching staff see it that way too.

Clearly there has been thought given to Willemse playing there as evidenced by his sporadic cameo appearances, but what would a more permanent arrangement look like?

"To be honest, I can't see him operating