Siya has a Springbok promise
PRETORIA: Springbok flank Siya Kolisi has already putup his hand as one of the standout performers in the resurgent Springbok team this year and has now promised bigger and better things against the Wallabies and All Blacks in the Rugby Championship.
Having walked away with a second man-of-the-match award this year against Argentina in Salta after an inspiring performance that saw him cross the whitewash twice, Kolisi is looking at putting in a better showing against the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday.
While the rest of rugby mad South Africa is in awe at Kolisi’s heroics in the Green and Gold, starting with that second Test against France where he almost single-handedly handed the team victory with one of the most complete performances by a player in recent memory, Kolisi believes he needs to get fitter in order to produce the kind of performances worthy of being a Springbok.
“I get tired in the latter parts of the game because I start cramping. I will be working a lot more on my fitness and conditioning but this team makes me want to do more. They make me want to be better every single week so I’m looking for improvement every week and I’m never satisfied with my performance,” said Kolisi.
And just as critical as Kolisi is with his personal form, he is not getting carried away with the Springboks five match unbeaten run so far this year and says there is room for improvement as the Springboks go in search of their maiden Rugby Championship title.
It is obvious to see the strides the Springboks have made on the field since a disastrous 2016, lifting themselves from seventh to third spot on the world rankings, but at the heart of the team’s resurrection it is the new team culture Kolisi attributes to each and every player within the side wanting to be better on and off the field.
“We just want to keep on improving. We want to work on our culture every day and make sure we live our values, care for one another and put the Springboks first, and make sure the team does well. We want to always show commitment, strive for excellence and we want to be better people on the field and off the field as well.”
There can be no doubting the transformation Kolisi has undergone since cementing his place in the starting team and the fact he is comfortable playing at number six or seven makes him a vital cog in Allister Coetzee’s machinery where the number on your back means just that, a number.
Kolisi’s rise to prominence was sparked by his Test debut four years ago against Scotland when he came off the bench to replace an injured Arno Botha and put on a man-of-thematch performance that saved the Springboks from certain defeat.
But since then his versatility became his curse, especially under then-coach Heyneke Meyer, who saw Kolisi as nothing but a bench player that came on when it was necessary.
Kolisi’s career took a turn for the better this year when he was handed the Stormers captaincy by coach Robbie Fleck, and even though a man of few words, Kolisi found his voice through his actions on the field.
Such has been the impact of Kolisi’s leadership that many called for him to ascend to the Springbok captaincy this year, particularly after the injury to Warren Whiteley, but the role was given to Kolisi’s close friend and Stormers teammate Eben Etzebeth.
But for Kolisi, making Etzebeth the captain was the right call as he prefers to show his leadership by serving and being a follower while putting in the kind of performances that have had many already talking about him as a strong contender for World Player of the Year.
“Leadership for me is different. I can speak but I don’t like speaking a lot, it’s about my actions on and off the field. I’m a servant, that’s the kind of leader I am. I’m a good follower. And I can follow anyone who is leading, and I think that is my calling and my role at the moment is helping whoever is leading not by my talking but by just playing.
“I enjoy responsibility and I enjoy pressure as well. Tough times are going to come and I want to be there for whoever is leading the team. My main focus now is to make sure I play and perform well and that is my way of supporting anyone who is leading.
“I want to play well and make sure that I put my firm hand on the jersey because I haven’t played a lot in a starting position so I am trying to use that as best as I can,” Kolisi said.
Kolisi’s promise of better things to come from him and the Springboks may be a daunting reality for the Wallabies and All Blacks.
But the promise it will have every Springbok fan begging for more as the unconventional loose forward breaks all the stereotypical rules of what a flank should be, to sit pretty with his team on top of the world at the end of this year.
“We are very young and I’ve only got a couple of Tests under my belt. Eben and Beast are a little bit experienced and obviously we learn a lot from each other. We started our own culture this year that we can live by and that is what we are driving. There are no rules, just the culture and values we live by and we want the best for the team and one another.
“We want to break these cultural barriers and we want to be one. We are all different at the end of the day and what we want to do is to bring our best to the table. We can’t all be the same but we can have the same goal and vision.”