Beast Mtawarira has pledged his allegiance to South Africa and the Springboks in the wake of calls to deport him.

Butana Komphela, the National Assembly sports committee chairman, said last week that Saru and Mtawarira will both be punished as he intends to send the Bok prop back to his country of birth, Zimbabwe. Komphela believes that only ‘bona fide’ people, and not foreigners, should represent the country, while Komphela had plans to charge Saru for illegally playing Mtawarira and wanted to deport him to Zimbabwe.

The Bok prop responded graciously to Komphela’s utterances and said this was his adopted country.

‘I’m a South African at heart,’ Mtwarira told Mike Greenaway of the Sunday Independent. ‘I love this country. It has become my home. It is everything to me.’

Komphela claimed only foreigners with specialised skills should represent South African national teams, but Mtawarira said he is just as loyal to the Boks as any of his team-mates.

‘I want to put my body on the line for South Africa when I play,’ he said. ‘I hold nothing back. I give it my all. This country has been amazing to me and that makes me want to work harder.

‘Wearing the green and gold of the Springboks is a huge honour for me. That jersey is part of me. The green and gold flows in my blood. I feel just as much pride as any other guy in the team.

‘So many people have embraced me and it is humbling to know that they are behind me, supporting me all the way.’

Mtawarira has lived in Durban since joining the Sharks Academy six years ago, and is to marry his girlfriend Kuziva, later this year. Mtawarira’s younger brother Ray is currently at the Academy.

By Special correspondent