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Cape Town - Prop forward Vincent Koch has made peace with the fact that he won’t represent the Springboks in the near future.
The former Stormers tighthead, who boasts nine Test caps, currently plies his trade at English club Saracens and is ineligible for Springboks due to a new policy instituted by SA Rugby.
The policy, which was approved in March and implemented in July, states that only overseas-based South Africans with 30 or more Test caps are eligible for the Springboks.
The 27-year-old joined Saracens in 2016 and has excelled at the English champions.
“I was sad when the rule was put in place because every child would like to play for the Boks, even a kid like me who went to a school without a long Springbok history,” Koch, who went to Hugenote High School in Wellington, told Afrikaans newspaper Rapport.
“I haven’t played enough Test rugby and am definitely keen on playing more. I have the most wonderful memories of representing my country and I’m very proud of that.
“I received a call a few weeks ago asking if I would be available to play for the Boks in an emergency and I said, of course. But the rule is now in place, so I probably won’t be considered until 2019. I have made peace with that.”
According to the SA Rugby ruling, Koch would be eligible to play during a Rugby World Cup year, which means he could come into consideration for the Springboks in 2019.
