Why Siya Kolisi is so important to the Springboks: Rassie Erasmus’ verdict on ‘humble’ star’s ‘massive’ milestone
Why Siya Kolisi is so important to the Springboks Rassie Erasmus credits 'humble' star ahead of 'massive' milestone
Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus has paid tribute to his esteemed captain Siya Kolisi ahead of his 100th Test appearance on Saturday, calling the two-time World Cup winner ‘humble’ as he hits the incredible milestone.
Kolisi has been named on the flank for the match against France, as the four-time world champions look to continue their strong start to the Autumn Nations Series.
Praise from Rassie Erasmus
- A work ethic that never wavered
- Support from Rassie Erasmus
- The human nature of leadership
While the nation will support Kolisi from afar, he has supporters close by. Springboks boss Erasmus understands the challenges that Kolisi has faced.
“The whole thing is that he’s been on the other side, where it’s really tough,” Erasmus told SuperSport Rugby.
“He was getting into all kinds of stuff, trying to get out of the bottom of life. And he had to get himself out of almost nowhere to get to the top. And then when he got to the top, he got the captaincy, and then that was heavy on him.”
Despite these challenges, Kolisi has always remained consistent and understands what is required of him as a captain.
“You can ask the whole team, he’s always stayed the same, even when he was playing badly. He’s accepting the role that the captain gets swapped at 60 minutes into the game. One thing he can be proud of is that he represents South Africa, he understands South Africa. He’s always stayed humble and serves the team, and that will always stand out.”
Teammate Manie Libbok reflected on the human side of the man, saying: “Siya is special because he’s a good human being first, and he’s a calm leader. He’s very humble and leads by example, and he inspires us as a group. It makes him so easy for us to follow.
“It will be a very special occasion for him, and us as a group will be very happy for him to achieve that milestone.”
Jasper Wiese echoed these sentiments, adding: “When a new guy steps in, it’s just amazing how he pulls a guy and makes you feel at home, like you were a part of it from the start. And as a person, he always has a laugh and has genuine love for everybody in this team.
“I think that speaks to a lot of people, and what you can achieve if you put your mind to something.
Cobus Reinach focused on the impressive nature of reaching the century, concluding: “Playing once for your country is massive, doing it 100 times is unreal. It just shows you the consistency of him as a player, as a human being.
“He hasn’t changed. From when I met him in 2014 till now, he hasn’t changed. He’s just been working hard and leading the group. So hats off to him. Everyone’s really proud of him.”
How Kolisi hit the century
Siya Kolisi is now a global name, not just within rugby but the whole South African cultural landscape, after leading the Springboks to a magnificent second World Cup trophy in a row in 2023, solidifying the country’s status as the most successful rugby-playing nation of all time.
The Kolisi brand wasn’t always this way, however. In fact, the now 34-year-old star was born into poverty in Port Elizabeth and sadly lost his mother while he was still in his teenage years. It was Kolisi’s work ethic, as well as his natural ability, which enabled him to pull himself into the pressure cooker that is elite sports.
After impressing scouts during his younger years, Kolisi performed for many youth rugby clubs before representing the South Africa national under-18 rugby union team, for whom he played for over two years.
As he hit senior level, solid performances for Western Province and the Stormers led to his first Springboks appearance, which was a player of the match showing against Scotland in which South Africa won 30-17.
It took a further nine appearances from the bench for Kolisi to finally secure a starting spot in the squad, but once he had, he wasn’t letting it go. In fact, Kolisi became so integral to the Springboks‘ efforts that in 2018 he captained the side for the first time, becoming the first black man to do so in the country’s history.
Kolisi’s performances in club colours have struggled to match his in green and gold, particularly in recent years, but his impact on the national squad can never be denied. He will walk out on Saturday with a nation behind him.
