'In our eyes, Damian is a flyhalf' - Willemse likely to be reinstalled as Springbok 10 on tour

"A guy like Damian (Willemse), in our eyes, is a flyhalf."

This was the forthright declaration by SA director of rugby Rassie Erasmus in putting to bed any doubts about the future of the Stormers utility back insofar as the national team set-up is concerned.

"We see him going to the World Cup as a flyhalf," Erasmus emphasised, as he welcomed a host of utility players into the two squads named for duty this November.

Erasmus, together with Springbok coaches Jacques Nienaber and Mzwandile Stick, briefed reporters on Friday following the announcement of the Springbok and SA A squads travelling to the UK soon.

READ | Duane has nothing left to prove as Boks leave him out: 'We know his commitment'

Willemse, normally listed as a utility back, was tagged under the flyhalf section for this tour owing to a number of factors.

Handre Pollard is injured; Elton Jantjies is taking some personal time away from the game and Frans Steyn has injury concerns of his own.

Willemse is no stranger to the position at the highest level having been the pivot for the Boks recently to good effect.

He was instrumental in getting the Boks the win against Wales in June; he slotted in with a bullet of a pass to Makazole Mapimpi in the second match against the All Blacks in Johannesburg and then, when he was finally named as a starting 10 for two away matches, only a concussion would rule him out of finishing the Rugby Championship.

Nick Mallett | Springboks have difficult questions to answer with goal-kicking first on the list

Springbok management, however, are alive to the pressing Achilles heel that is placekicking.

"People forget that he (Willemse) kicked that last penalty for us to win the Wales match ... in terms of goalkicking, there are a lot of guys who