Light the candles ... Kolisi’s Stormers appointment a giant leap for SA
SIYA KOLISI received one of the best presents a young man could wish for when turning 21 in 2012 – he was included in the Springbok squad.
But even more remarkable than that achievement was his comment afterwards, when the day was celebrated with a cake – it was the first birthday cake he had ever received. Just let that sink in … Your first birthday cake at the age of 21. That is the stark reality of the difficulties which Siyamthanda Kolisi had to face growing up.
Those words have stayed with me since, so to see Kolisi named as the new Stormers captain is a time to rejoice. Here was this fresh-faced kid from Zwide township outside Port Elizabeth, who by his own admission could barely speak English when he arrived at Grey Junior School on a scholarship, and now he is leading the Stormers. What a journey! But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Kolisi on the rugby front. He was ignored by then-Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer in 2012 when there was an opportunity to give him a Test debut in Port Elizabeth against England, with Jacques Potgieter picked on the bench instead.
Kolisi had to wait until 2013, when he came on as an injury-enforced substitute for Arno Botha, to earn his first Bok cap against Scotland in Nelspruit, and he subsequently played so well that he was chosen as the Man of the Match.
Injuries and some periods of poor form have seen Kolisi earn just 15 more Bok caps since, but it will be almost like a fresh start for the 25-yearold in 2017 when he leads the Stormers on to Newlands on Saturday night in the huge Super Rugby showdown with the Bulls.
And when that happens, it will be another moment to savour – not only for Stormers fans, but for South African rugby as a whole.
The push for transformation in the sport has been painfully slow. The Boks fielded just three players of colour in their first-choice starting XV at the 2015 Rugby World Cup – Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen and Tendai Mtawarira.
In Allister Coetzee’s first season in charge, things improved slightly, with Habana and Mtawarira still present, as was Elton Jantjies (for most of the time). The likes of Oupa Mohoje, Juan de Jongh, JP Pietersen and Rudy Paige had a few starts as well.
But never has there been a black African Super Rugby captain. Producing more black African players is one of the main goals for SA Rugby leading up to the 2019 World Cup in Japan. There is a target of 50 percent overall player of colour representation required for the Bok squad in that tournament, of which 60 percent must be black African.
There has been a general apathy on the SA Super Rugby scene to bring through players of colour. Not enough game time is being given to players who are supposedly part of the squad. It is a tragedy that someone like powerful centre/ wing S’bura Sithole has been sidelined at the Sharks over the last few years, after being invited to a Bok training camp by none other than Meyer a few seasons ago.
And there are many others out there like him.
The appointment proves that absolute trust has been placed in Kolisi to lead a bunch of top-class talents – including first-choice (and white) Springboks such as Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit – in arguably the toughest rugby competition in the world. It is a giant leap forward for transformation in South African rugby.
Whether Kolisi will be successful or not will be determined over the next six months. But he certainly has all the ingredients to be. He is well-liked within the Stormers set-up, is a first-choice loose forward, has a good rapport with his teammates – many of whom came through the same WP junior system since 2010 – and is someone who enjoys the extra responsibility.
And who knew that Kolisi has already amassed 76 Stormers caps…
Kolisi and the Stormers face a daunting task in Super Rugby this year, as they will face the five New Zealand teams and avoid the Aussies.
But everybody starts on zero, and has a chance to win the title. And being given an equal opportunity is all that Kolisi, and other black rugby players, are asking for.