Demetri Catrakilis wants to use the upcoming Currie Cup season to play open a spot in the Springbok squad for the end-of-year tour to Europe.
Sport24
Catrakilis, 24, will return to Cape Town to play for Western Province after Eastern Province agreed to release him until the end of October.
He was WP’s hero when he helped them win the Currie Cup last year by beating the Sharks 25-18 in the final in Durban. He kicked two vital drop goals which gave WP their first title in 11 years.
And now he is aiming for higher honours.
“It was part of the plan. Hopefully I can play good rugby and do my bit in a successful campaign and come into consideration for the Springboks,” he said.
“I wanted to slot in with a Premier League team for the Currie Cup and I spoke to Mr Wakefield (Thelo Wakefield, WP president) after our last game against the Stormers. I have high regard for him.
“He was eager to make it happen and I also know the guys in the Cape. My experience in last year’s Currie Cup was unbelievable.”
Catrakilis, however, is out of rugby for five more weeks with a shoulder injury and he will have to fight it out for the No 10 jersey with Gary van Aswegen when he returns to action.
WP start the defence of their Currie Cup crown with a game at home to the Bulls on Saturday, (17:05 kick-off).
As far as I’m concerned Demetri Catrakilis is already better than Patrick Lambie, specially after the year Lambie has had.
Catrakilis is a traditional type of SA flyhalf, with the ability to dominate from flyhalf, to direct the game… and to send his backline away with ease.
He is also the next closest thing to the style that Morné Steyn plays and would fit like a glove into Heyneke Meyer’s type of game plan.
With Morné Steyn having opted to go play overseas I’d like to see what Catrakilis is capable of, and then next year we should see Johann Goosen back in the mix too… hope he sorts his propensity for injuries out, otherwise no matter how good he might be, he would not be the ideal long tern solution.
Agree with all said here GBS
He has the skills and talent. i dont agree however GBS that he is he traditional SA type flyhalf, DC can actually run the ball and like you say, dominate, direct and create – ie the perfect lil general.
However, if HM persists with playing Morne Steyn then sadly DC will be way down the pecking order.
i don’t also think CC is a good platform to get into EOYT (though to be fair he did awesomely well for the Kings in SR).
P.S. Apoloigies for my grammar etc.
It’s been a while LOL
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