Springbok fullback Aphelele Fassi is adamant to continue giving everything he can on the field to cement his place in the squad after seeing very little action for the national team.
Fassi made his Bok debut against Georgia in 2021, played against Argentina later that year, and earned his third cap against Wales a year later in July 2022.
However, the fleet-footed Fassi had to wait almost two years for his fourth cap but has since worked his way back into the World Cup-winning Bok squad this year.
Competing for position against veterans
Fassi has been a star performer for the Boks this season, making his presence felt in the No 15 jersey, where he has been competing with Bok veteran Willie le Roux and is relishing every moment of being part of the squad.
“It’s been unbelievable—when you come from a setback, it’s never easy, but as a player, you have to follow your processes and not change what you normally do,” Fassi said, as quoted by sarugby.co.za.
“To have this opportunity to be back in a setup like this is fantastic. It’s what I’ve always wanted, so I need to grab the chance with both hands and never lose it again because I know how it feels like to miss out.”
Enjoys being mentored by experienced colleague
Fassi said he enjoys playing under the mentorship of the vastly experienced Le Roux, who is only two Tests away from joining the exclusive club of Springbok centurions.
“We have a great relationship. I think there were two games in which I played where Willie was on the side of the field shouting what he saw and letting me know what’s happening from his perspective.
“That’s the nice thing that coach Rassie always emphasises—everyone has a job to do whether you are in the matchday 23 or not, and we all understand the plan to build for the future.”
The 26-year-old will make his eighth start at fullback in their final Test against Wales on Saturday.
Ahead of the game, Fassi said they were determined to lift their standards after registering a 29-20 victory against England in London last week, where they held a narrow 19-17 halftime lead.
“Last weekend we didn’t stick to our plans as well as we wanted to, but we have a plan for this weekend, and it will be important to execute our strategy well,” he added.
