Siya Kolisi’s takeaways from his Springboks coaches’ box stint and his verdict on making the move permanent
Siya Kolisi believes that his experience of being the Springboks coaching box against Argentina will be beneficial
Siya Kolisi believes his experience of being the Springboks coaching box against Argentina will be beneficial and has delivered his verdict on whether he could make the transition into coaching.
The double Rugby World Cup-winning captain notably missed the Rugby Championship clash against Los Pumas in South America with Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus wanting the skipper in the coaching box instead.
It’s a ploy Erasmus has used previously with former number eight Duane Vermeulen sitting with the coaches during the Springboks‘ 2023 World Cup match against Scotland.
Learnings from the coaching box
Vermeulen has since moved into a coaching role within SA Rugby following his retirement from his playing career but Kolisi is unlikely to follow suit despite taking plenty away from his 40-minute stint in the box.
“The coaching box experience, I couldn’t last longer than a half. There’s a lot happening there,” Kolisi told reporters ahead of the rematch against Argentina in Nelspruit.
“It made me understand how hard it is for a guy like Duane [Vermeulen] because the way the send the messages, Duane has to it in, digest it and say it as nice as possible to a player – but I heard first hand how they actually speak.
“I actually did it before when I was a water boy and I had to send a message to Trevor [Nyakane], I had to say the nicest way the first time and it didn’t look like he listened to me because he did the same thing they told him not to do. Then I said exactly what they had said in the box and his whole body language changed.”
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A career in coaching?
After spending the first half in the box, Kolisi moved to the side of the pitch for the second 40 minutes as he believed he was better served there.
“It was very hot in Argentina and the humidity was tough as well and I saw the energy dropping. The coaches always tell us body language, body language and I felt I was more useful standing on the side of the field and encouraging the players,” he explained.
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“I know my voice is not really going to fight against 50,000 people in the stadium but it’s something different and it gave me a lot of respect for what they do.
“It also makes me understand that when I hear a message from Duane, okay this is what they saying because I saw it last week.”
When asked if he would consider a career in coaching once he brings his playing career to a close, Kolisi’s response was emphatic.
“I won’t coach no, I won’t coach no,” he concluded.
