Siya Kolisi: Springboks driven to celebrate ‘enforcer’ Eben Etzbeth’s milestone as title ‘would mean so much more to him’
Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth and back-row Siya Kolisi.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi made no secret that his side will be playing for their team-mate Eben Etzebeth when they take on Argentina in Nelspruit on Saturday.
The match marks a special occasion for Etzebeth who is set to become the most capped Springbok of all time with 128 Test appearances when he runs out for the highly anticipated clash at the Mbombela Stadium.
A South African victory will mean it will be the first time that Kolisi and the Boks will hoist the Rugby Championship trophy as competition winners since 2019.
That triumph was during a truncated version of the tournament due to that year’s Rugby World Cup and Kolisi said the fact that no player in the current squad has ever won the full edition of the Rugby Championship means he and his team-mates are highly motivated to attain that objective.
Apart from their 2019 Rugby Championship victory, the Boks also won the competition in 1998, 2004 and 2009 when it was still known as the Tri-Nations with Argentina not joining the tournament until 2012.
Saturday’s clash in Nelspruit brings back fond memories for Kolisi as he made his Test debut in the city against Scotland in 2013 and he is delighted that Etzebeth milestone match will take place in the same city.
‘Fantastic for me to share this moment with Eben’
“I’ll never forget my first game – it was a special one against Scotland and it was tough too, so it’s fantastic for me to share this moment with Eben and mark this milestone with him together,” said Kolisi.
“I met Eben when I was 18 years-old and we’ve been friends for a long time, even when he went overseas.
“So, for us as a team the best way to show how special he is to us will be to win tomorrow. He doesn’t want this week to be about him, winning (the game and the trophy) would mean so much more to him.”
When asked to comment on Etzebeth’s contribution as a player and team-mate, Kolisi said: “A lot of people see him as playing an enforcing role and being a good leader, but he’s also very intelligent, so there’s so much more to him than his physicality.
“He also plays a crucial role in ensuring that the team’s values are kept intact.”
The Boks have already won two Rugby World Cup titles, a British & Irish Lions series, and the trncanted version of the Rugby Championship in 2019, Kolisi said they will be giving their all to win the full edition of the southern hemisphere’s premier Test competition.
“This group has never won a full Rugby Championship title, so that’s our mission, and we know that if we don’t win the game, it would also put a dampener on Eben’s record. So, as a team we know what we must do,” he explained.
Apart from that, Kolisi said the Boks were also motivated to win Saturday’s clash in Nelspruit for their loyal supporters as it will be the world champions’ final match of the year on home soil.
‘Hopefully we can make everyone proud’
“This is the last time we are playing in SA, so hopefully we can make everyone proud – both the fans at the game and those watching on television, so we encourage them to come out in their green and gold and sing as loud as they can,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kolisi and Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick are preparing for a tough encounter against Los Pumas. They said they expect a physical onslaught from Argentina, who could lift the Rugby Championship trophy if they win with a bonus point and if they deny the Boks a point.
“We have a lot of respect for Argentina and the way they are playing,” said the skipper.
“They have a number of former sevens players in their set-up and a lot of experience on the bench. That said we are much better prepared for what lies ahead this weekend after facing them last week.”
Stick echoed Kolisi’s sentiments by saying: “They are a good side. One only has to look what they achieved this season to see what a force they are. They defeated the All Blacks in New Zealand, they put more than 60 points over Australia, and they beat us last week, so we know the magnitude of the challenge ahead.
“That said, we have an opportunity to rectify things this week, and it’s great to be here in Mbombela. We enjoyed the match we played here against the All Blacks, and we know the crowd will carry us this weekend again.”
He said the Boks will build on the lessons learnt from last week’s defeat to the Pumas in Santiago del Estero.
“We started well last week, which was one of our focus areas going into the game, but this week we have to ensure we maintain our intensity for the full 80 minutes.
“When Argentina gets momentum they capitalise on it, and they are a team that plays with a lot of passion and heart, so this will be a special occasion for both teams.”
