Etzebeth best pick for Bok skipper after Siya Kolisi

IT WAS not wholly unexpected when Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus revealed he would be carefully considering who would be the next captain of his team in the coming weeks.

Siya Kolisi is undoubtedly an icon of the game, but every summer must come to an end. Kolisi, 33 years old in June, is arguably in the twilight of his career, and when the next World Cup rolls around in 2027, he will be 37, with a career full of monumental highs, staggering lows and a bevy of debilitating injuries behind him.

There is no doubt he still has value to add to the national set-up, but planning the defence of the Webb Ellis Cup around his leadership in four years’ time in Australia is certainly a long shot.

As legendary as Kolisi’s tenure has been, Erasmus is correct in seeking out a new skipper who can take the team forward and achieve a “threepeat” – winning the World Cup for the third consecutive time and, overall, an unprecedented fifth time.

Kolisi is currently nursing a hand injury but should he be fit for the upcoming Test season, where the Boks will face Wales, Ireland and Portugal, followed by the Rugby Championship, he should lead the team then.

In particular, the two-match Test series against recently crowned Six Nations champions Ireland requires his vast experience, veteran instinct and inspiration.

Thereafter, however, he should step aside for a new leader.

There is a degree of consternation about this eventuality, of course. After all, Kolisi has done so much for SA rugby, and change is always frightening.

But to argue there are no candidates is disingenuous. Erasmus and his colleagues have been building depth in the Boks for the last six years, and that includes the leadership pool.

To our mind, Eben Etzebeth, who recently won his second consecutive SA Rugby player of the Year award, should be first in line. Many will argue he is too reckless on the field, but we would counter that by saying that “Etsebedi” is not the impetuous young man of pre-2019.

Handrè Pollard is also an option, as is Bongi Mbonambi, while Lukhanyo Am could also foreseeably lead the Boks forward.