100th cap for Siya Kolisi in North-South Derby
WHICH ONE is a bigger milestone – earning your 100th Super Rugby cap against your age-old rivals, or captaining a side to Super Rugby glory?
For Stormers skipper Siya Kolisi, the one is an unstoppable goal he will get to celebrate when his team host the Bulls at Newlands tomorrow (3.05pm kickoff), while the other is a similarly age-old objective that the Stormer continue to hunt.
Kolisi will earn his 100th Super Rugby cap this weekend, and while he took the time to contribute his success to his teammates in typical Kolisi fashion, he also made a special mention of the guys who welcomed him into the Stormers set-up.
“Eben (Etzebeth) said ‘what a special day and what a special opposition to play against’,” Kolisi said.
“I’m really happy to reach the milestone and a lot of the guys say it’s all about the team, but the most important thing for us is to win this game, we all know that, so first and foremost, that’s what I’m looking to do.”
Kolisi was quick to mention Stormers icons like Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana and Andries Bekker as among those who have helped guide him along the way.
“I’m thankful to my teammates, all the guys I’ve played with from the beginning – the Andries’, the Schalks (Schalk Burger), the Jeans and the Bryans especially – who just retired now – all of those guys took us in and that’s the kind of environment we have, they never really leave. They make it a special place,” he said.
You wouldn’t be blamed for falling into a whirl of confusion if you look at the Stormers players – then and now – and wondering why they’ve never won a Super Rugby title.
And while their chances aren’t any better this season than they were in 2017, Kolisi said that the dream is still very much alive.
“We want to win Super Rugby, it’s something we’ve never done, all the guys I’ve mentioned, that’s what they say, they wish they’d just won one,” Kolisi said.
“So I’m just looking forward to it, it’s very important game, it’s a big game for both of us. If you’re not excited for this game you shouldn’t be playing at all.
“As much as the guys have congratulated me, it’s about the team.”
Meanwhile, Stormers coach Robbie Fleck believes Bulls boss John Mitchell might be strategising a few “games” for their Super Rugby derby tomorrow, but he’s confident his team will be ready for whatever their rivals bring.
Mitchell has named a far-from-final team for their clash against the Stormers, with a number of positions still undecided for the encounter.
Players like Divan Rossouw, Travis Ismaiel, Thembelani Bholi, Marco van Staden, Jason Jenkins and Roelof Smit are still circled by question marks in terms of who’ll start, but Fleck isn’t too bothered by their opposition’s apparent uncertainty.
“There probably is a bit of games there, but we’ll prepare for whatever side they put out. Last time we played they had two opensiders and they hurt us on the deck, whatever side they put out on the weekend, we’ll prepare for both,” Fleck said.
On the Bulls’ game, Fleck said: “They’ve got more of an all-round game, they’ve got a good mix, and I’d like to think we’re the same. We’re blowing hot and cold and it’s just those soft moments that are letting us down.”
One goal the Stormers coach has for the battle is for his team to produce an 80-minute performance.
Going the full distance has been quite a problem for Fleck’s charges this season.
“For us it’s all about playing 80 minutes. You have to play 80 minutes against the Bulls with the way they play, they’ll keep coming at you, like they did against the Highlanders,” Fleck said.
“The first half is going to be important because in every game they’ve played they’ve looked to get ascendancy in the first 20 minutes and they’ve tended to score first. We’re scoring pretty quickly and we’re getting enough points in the first half, and it’s the last 20 minutes where we’re down on our points scoring.”
In terms of the changes, flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis will get a shot off the bench.
And while Kolisi’s milestone is a massive one, it won’t be the only one for the Stormers, as replacement hooker Scarra Ntubeni will earn his 50th cap when he comes off the bench.
Springbok tighthead Frans Malherbe joins Du Plessis among the replacements as the new additions after long-term injuries, and in the backline there are two positional changes, with JJ Engelbrecht moving to outside centre and Dillyn Leyds shifting to wing.
The backline changes see SP Marais come into the run-on side at fullback and Raymond Rhule coming in on the wing.
Leyds’ shift from No 15 is a questionable one as he’s proven that it’s his best position, and Marais’ selection at the back perhaps also suggests a “safer” approach by Fleck as he heads into another must-win battle.
“Raymond was rested last weekend, he had played every game up until then. We feel that with SP’s introduction it will be the right step there for us,” Fleck said on the changes.
And on Kolisi’s achievement, Fleck said: “It’s a massive milestone, for his family and for the players as well.
“He’s a highly-respected member of our squad and he’s a genuine guy, he obviously deserves these 100 caps and I look forward to seeing how he plays with that 100th jersey.