KIDS SHOULD LOOK UP TO RUGBY STARS ... NOT GANGSTERS
South Africa wing Kolbe and captain Kolisi talk guns, drugs, riots and destroying England’s World Cup dream
THAT’S the problem with virtual interviews — you never quite know who is listening in. Sixteen and a half minutes into a chat with South African wing Cheslin Kolbe about Toulouse v Exeter in today’s European Cup semi-final a box at the bottom of the screen interrupts us.
Kolbe’s agent is still on mute, her camera off as she is travelling on a train to Manchester while hosting the Google Meets call, but another person wants to muscle in. It’s Siya Kolisi.
The World Cup-winning South African captain has been eavesdropping. He is Kolbe’s biggest fan, shares the same agency — Roc Nation Sports owned by rapper Jay-Z — and wants him to shine when interviewed.
While sitting in the passenger seat of a car driving across South Africa he has made this a group conference call. ‘Howsit Cheslin?’ he calls out casually.
Kolbe, sitting in front of white shutters at home in Toulouse, blushes when Kolisi continues.
‘They call him “The Wizard” in France! That’s what I’ve heard,’ Kolisi cackles, bigging-up the 26-year- old who embarrassed England last November in Yokohama as the Springboks conquered the world.
But Kolisi’s welcome interruption is not over. The boy from the township who lifted the World Cup as South Africa’s first black captain is fully aware now of his influence and how important it is that he speaks out. So he is here from South Africa, connecting with Toulouse, a train heading to north west England and a basement flat in south west London to explain what is still going on in his country.
‘I want you to tell Will, man, more about how it is here,’ Kolisi — on the way back from a community visit with the foundation that bears his name — tells Kolbe.
‘ I’ve been working in the “coloured” areas and there was a boy that was shot in the head through cross-fires.
‘His name is Brian. He’s been paralysed for 14 years since he was three years old. That stuff happens every day. You could be playing in the street and because of gang fire you could get shot.’
Suddenly, it all tumbles out. The questions about Exeter Chiefs’ strengths and Toulouse’s boyband backline are shelved — it’s time to listen to issues far more important than today’s match.
‘ Growing up in Kraaifontein was challenging,’ begins Kolbe, who moved from the Stormers in Cape Town to Toulouse in 2017.
Kolbe is keen to highlight the struggles of the ‘coloured’ community. In South Africa they still define people by race. ‘Coloureds’ — those of mixed European or Asian heritage like Kolbe — make up around nine per cent of the population, similar to ‘whites’, with ‘blacks’ around 79 per cent.
‘Gangsterism, daily gang wars fighting over territory. I’ve seen guys selling drugs and taking them in front of me — just the norm. Me and my wife Kayla have had first-hand experience. After one of the Stormers games I went to my parents and as my wife opened the gate, gangs started shooting at a police van, setting fires off.
‘When I was 10 I was walking from my parents’ house to my gran’s place at 2pm. I had to cross a big field. There was one gang that came to another’s territory and the next minute a shooting war broke out. That was daylight, with people coming out of work.’
Through his foundation Be The Difference, Kolbe returned to South Africa to help feed 400 people a day in lockdown. The numbers have now quadrupled.
Kraaifontein saw violent riots this summer. ‘“Coloureds” are known for gangsterism,’ Kolbe adds, confronting the stereotype.
‘I don’t think people are aware of how bad it still is. There are shootings and drug dealing every day. Gangsters don’t face the penalties they should. Our government should make an example of them.’
How proud is Kolisi that Kolbe is taking this stand? ‘I respect him so much,’ the captain replies.
‘I know my environment was tough, with poverty. In his, you could go to school and get shot. ‘ In South Africa “black” and “white” stories are amplified but “coloured” people don’t get spoken enough about.’
So aside from what we have learnt already, what is Kolbe’s story? Born in 1993 as his country was in the throes of a Rainbow revolution led by Nelson Mandela, Kolbe came from a sport-mad family. His father, Andrew, was barred from playing rugby in the apartheid era despite his talent.
‘My dad has been my hero since I was a kid,’ says Kolbe. ‘People tell me they wish I could’ve seen him play. My dad says: “I was much better than you are now!”
‘I’d spend time with my friends playing touch rugby in the road, making sure I followed my dad to stay out of trouble.’
One friend was Kolbe’s cousin, Wayde van Niekerk who at the 2016 Olympics beat Michael Johnson’s 17-year 400m world with a time of 43.03 seconds — still the quickest ever. ‘We’d run races in the streets always wanting to beat each other,’ Kolbe says. ‘Having that competitiveness definitely helped us get where we are today.’
But Kolbe’s path to global glory was consistently blocked. Now a superstar, at 5ft 7in and weighing 11st 9lb, he is the David in a land of Goliaths — and he constantly humiliates the behemoths too.
‘I was told I was too small, would never get selected for school, Western Province or professional level. It was difficult to hear such negativity,’ Kolbe explains. He considered giving up but instead worked harder and by under 16s finally played for Western Province.
‘I scored a try, kicked a drop-goal from the half- way line and did things I never thought I could do.’
In 2016 he won a bronze medal at the Olympic Sevens. Two years later, having moved to Toulouse after opportunities were slim at home, he was finally picked by
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, and has scored eight tries in 14 Tests since. The Kolisi family are in awe. ‘I’m a player but my wife’s favourite player is Cheslin — can you believe it!?’ laughs Kolisi. ‘What he does, honestly he’s one of the best ever to do it. I’m always happy I play with not against him!’
Unfortunately for England, Kolbe was against them last November. Already 25-12 down in the World Cup final after 74 minutes the last thing they needed was Kolbe taking the mickey.
A dropped ball saw Pieter-Steph du Toit find the pocket rocket on the right wing and from then it was night night. ‘I went to the outside and stepped inside as hard as I could to make sure I avoided getting tackled, so that Owen Farrell didn’t stop me scoring in the final,’ he recalls.
‘Sometimes I surprise myself with the things I do. I love creating things out of nothing.’
Kolbe has been doing that on the rugby field, and in his life, for 26 years. ‘I’m grateful for the path I have walked,’ he says, concluding a remarkable 40 minutes.
‘Kids should not look up to gangsters, but to us as rugby players. I want to be a hero to look up to and hopefully give hope. I am living a dream. I am blessed for that.’
And we, and Kolisi, are blessed to watch him.