A YEAR ago‚ centre Damian de Allende was considered one of the best players in the Springbok team, but 12 months on, his Test career appears to be at a crucial intersection.Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has cut De Allende from the Bok squad. Instead of facing the Wallabies at Loftus in a Rugby Championship match on Saturday‚ he will be playing for Western Province against Boland in the Currie Cup on Friday.In 2015‚ De Allende could do little wrong as he cut through defences with impressive ease at Super Rugby and Test level. He was narrowly pipped in the voting for 2015 SA Player of the Year‚ which went to lock Lood de Jager. Now, he is surplus to requirements in a Bok midfield that has misfired all year.It has been a rapid descent compared to the speed with which he rose up South African rugby’s escalator. His form has been poor this season and it is not surprising that Coetzee has cut him loose.But how is it possible that such a good player‚ whose class was obvious at the highe...
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