Kolisi’s ‘personal’ All Blacks mission
SPRINGBOK captain Siya Kolisi could not have been clearer about what will be driving his team to beat the All Blacks at the Mbombela Stadium this evening, and he says he will move heaven and earth to achieve it.
“It is simple,” he said.
“We have won a World Cup but we have not beaten the All Blacks in South Africa.
“We have not beaten the All Blacks in South Africa for eight years, and our particular group has never beaten them on our home soil – this is our motivation.
“I would love to achieve some history on this ground because this is where I made my debut for the Springboks (in 2013 against Scotland).”
Kolisi’s men came close to beating the Kiwis at Loftus Versfeld in 2018. Earlier in the Rugby Championship that year, they shocked the All Blacks 36-34 in Wellington and in the return game in Pretoria they lost concentration in the dying minutes and a Richie
Mo’unga penalty stole the show for the visitors, 32-20.
“We discussed that Loftus game at length this week,” Kolisi said.
“We thought we had that game won, but they came back. The lesson we learnt is that these guys never go away and you have to be constantly alert, beyond the 80th minute until the very last whistle.
“It can be in the 86th minute when they will suddenly hurt you. They have players throughout their match 23 who are game-breakers – players who can make something out of nothing.
“We must make sure that no matter what the score-line is we keep playing, keep taking opportunities and just stay aware.”
Kolisi was a lean 21-year-old when he came on a substitute in the Boks win over the Scots on the Mbombela pitch in 2013, and 65 caps later he wants to make another special memory.
“When I was at boarding school as a kid, we watched the Springboks in the TV room of the hostel and
we dreamed of playing for the Boks against the All Blacks.
“We wanted to be on the field playing those guys, and now I am one of the lucky ones who get to do it. It is what we live for as South African rugby players.”
One of the game-breakers Kolisi is talking about is the blockbusting wing Caleb Clarke, who is making a return to international rugby after long injury lay-off.
The 110kg Clarke will tower over his opposite number, the slender Kurtlee Arendse who weighs just 76kgs. Kolisi is unconcerned.
“Kurt-lee won’t be thinking about that because he has to tackle us at training, and some of us are heavier than the guy he is marking,” Kolisi said.
“Kurt-lee played well against Wales and made some big tackles on their (hefty) No 8 Toby Faletau.
“You can’t coach heart, you can’t buy it either. Kurt-lee has it.
“In our team, you get judged on heart and effort. Kurt-lee passes the test.”
TEAMS
Springboks:
15 Damian Willemse 14 Kurt-lee Arendse 13 Lukhanyo Am 12 Damian de Allende 11 Makazole Mapimpi 10 Handre Pollard 9 Faf de Klerk 8 Jasper Wiese 7 Pietersteph du Toit 6 Siya Kolisi (captain) 5 Lood de Jager 4 Eben Etzebeth 3 Frans Malherbe 2 Malcolm Marx 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Bench:
16 Bongi Mbonambi 17 Steven Kitshoff 18 Vincent Koch 19 Salmaan Moerat 20 Franco Mostert 21 Kwagga Smith 22 Jaden Hendrikse 23 Willie le Roux.
All Blacks
15 Jordie Barrett 14 Will Jordan 13 Rieko Ioane 12 David Havili 11 Caleb Clarke 10 Beauden Barrett 9 Aaron Smith 8 Ardie Savea 7 Sam Cane (captain) 6 Akira Ioane 5 Scott Barrett 4 Sam Whitelock 3 Angus Ta’avao 2 Samson Taukei’aho 1 George Bower.
Bench:
16 Dane Coles 17 Ethan de Groot 18 Tyrel Lomax 19 Tupou Vaa’i 20 Shannon Frizell 21 Finlay Christie 22 Richie Mo’unga 23 Quinn Tupaea.