It has been a long, long time in the wilderness, but Embrose Papier is finally smiling again. After eight long, hard years toiling since his Springbok debut back in 2018, he finally gets to start a game again.
The irony of the eight years between his seven caps for the Springboks and this weekend’s match against Scotland is not lost on Papier, and as a man of few words, he doesn’t want to mess this one up.
That’s why it wasn’t surprising to see him think deeply about his answers, short as they may have been, when he sat next to coach Rassie Erasmus on Monday at the team announcement.
As they ended, there was a look across from Papier to Erasmus, who smiled and told him in Afrikaans: “You did well”.
It was a nod to the nerves that obviously accompany his return. Papier will know what the Bok side has become since he was last here, and he has toiled long and hard to get back into the selection frame.
But as always, he simply needs to do his talking on the field.
That talking for the Bulls delivered nine tries this past season, and some gems as his pace was a massive weapon for Johan Ackermann’s side, forcing himself back into the selection frame.
A few months back, when I spoke to him about the possibility of returning to the Green and Gold, he didn’t really want to dwell on it too much. “I just have to keep working hard,” was his answer. It spoke volumes.
And he did work hard, and that hard work is now rewarded.
SQUAD DEPTH PLAYED A PART
A starting spot alongside his Bulls teammate Handre Pollard this weekend may be seen by some as a gamble, but Papier has longed for such a return and is likely to give it his all when he takes the field.
But still the nerves will be there.
Erasmus explained in honest terms why it took him so long to choose Papier again, although just a look at the immense depth the Boks possess now would be an easy answer in itself.
“Firstly, I thought he played really well this season,” Erasmus said.
“My first year of coaching was in 2018-19, and he’s got seven caps now, and most of them were at that stage.
“Guys like Faf [De Klerk], Cobus [Reinach], Jaden [Hendrikse], and a few of the guys who were established were part of two World Cups, and there were a real bunch of good nines, playing really well.
“Sometimes it’s not because the player is not playing well enough or is not Springbok class; it’s just because there are other guys that are playing really well.
“I think none of us can look past the fact that he played well this year, and then obviously there are some injured players and some guys who lost form, and he gathered form.
“He gets the opportunity at home with Handre, where he’s played a lot of rugby, so hopefully that helps him.”
Papier performed for the Bulls this season and knows the Scottish players well. His pace off the mark is a real threat and with Evan Roos by his side, the Boks will do well to use that to their advantage.
And he didn’t want to jinx it in any way.
“It’s great working with the coaches,” Papier said. “I’m learning a lot every day. I’ve missed a lot of guys, and a lot of familiar faces, so it’s just great to be in the environment and learning from the guys.”
But on Saturday, when he pulls the nine jersey over his head for the first time in a long time, eight years will feel like it is worth it, all for cap No 8.