SA Rugby’s announcement that Stormers flanker Siya Kolisi had been named to lead South Africa against England in their three-match Test series is a step in the right direction, writes Shaun Goosen.
Kolisi’s appointment comes two days after Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus released the names of a 43-man squad to do battle this June. 26 of those players will travel to Washington to face Wales in a one-off Test match this Saturday, while the remaining 17 will stay in South Africa to prepare for next week’s first Test against England in Johannesburg.
Captain Kolisi will form part of the latter. Considering the makeup of the two squads and the quality of opposition they are set to face, those remaining in SA are effectively Rassie’s ‘A’ team. Kolisi’s Stormers teammate, Pieter-Steph du Toit, will lead the charge against Wales.
The results of the Springboks over the past few seasons have been dismal and has seen the two-time World Champions slip to as low as seventh on the World Rugby rankings. Since Erasmus was named as South Africa’s director of rugby-come-coach in June 2017, there has been a noticeable increase in optimism around the country.
Many believe the dog days to be over.
Erasmus is an infamously meticulous planner, and one whose attempts at striking up a partnership with the respective unions around the country have been met with huge admiration. Never has a Bok coach gone to such lengths to develop a working relationship with South Africa’s Super Rugby franchises. The result could well end up benefiting all those involved in the long and short-term.
When one considers the combination of youth, talent and experience Erasmus has selected – not to mention the level of foresightedness in opting to pick two separate squads – there is every reason to expect a change in Bok fortunes in the years to come.
Enter Siya Kolisi.
In the injury-enforced absences of Warren Whiteley and Eben Etzebeth, the elevation of the 28-capped 26-year-old to the role of skipper was a logical and inspired choice. Additionally, the selection of Kolisi also sits well with Saru, who have made no secret of their preference at installing a locally-based captain.
The Port Elizabeth-born Kolisi has been a mainstay in the Boks’ starting XV for the past two years and, in spite of some decidedly average Super Rugby performances so far this season will lead the Boks into a bright new era.
Many were disappointed when Etzebeth was named by then-coach Allister Coetzee to fill in for the injured Whiteley as Bok captain last year. By all accounts, the outcry for Kolisi to be chosen was deafening, but it is now one which has finally come to fruition.
The “racially-charged” incident involving SuperSport’s Ashwin Willemse, Nick Mallett and Naas Botha was a grim reminder at how much tension still exists in the country today, with many fans still lamenting the use of ‘quotas’ at various levels of the local game. The ever-charming Kolisi, who is set to become the Republic’s first black Test captain, has a rare shot at calming the waters.
Here is a man who, from humble beginnings, has beaten the odds to become one of this country’s most celebrated rugby icons. Since debuting off the bench in a Man of the Match performance against Scotland in 2013, Kolisi has underlined his status as one of the leading players in South Africa.
His versatility means he able to pack down on either side of the scrum, offering coaches a classic to-the-ball opensider or a ball carrying basher at blindside. The industrious Grey High graduate simply oozes X-factor; who could forget his epic sidestep against Elton Jantjies in a 2016 Super Rugby derby at Ellis Park?
It remains to be seen whether Kolisi will keep the captain’s armband for the Rugby Championship, or indeed in the lead up to next year’s World Cup. Nothing though should take away from what is a huge triumph for the South African game.
Written by Shaun Goosen for Hollywoodbets
