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Erasmus explains why he's picked 'humble' Kolisi, who becomes first black Springbok Test captain
South Africa will have their first ever black Test captain after Siya Kolisi was given the honour for the three-Test series with England, which begins on June 9th in Johannesburg.
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Chilliboy Ralepelle captained a Springbok XV against a World XV in Leicester in 2006, but it didn’t have Test status.
Rassie Erasmus also named Kolisi’s Stormers teammate Pieter Steph-du Toit as the captain for the one-off Test with Wales in Washington DC this weekend.
“It’s a huge honour to captain the Springboks. Siya and Pieter-Steph are two honest, hardworking men who enjoy the respect of their fellow players. I believe both of them will do a good job as captains.” Erasmus said.
“My philosophy is that each player must take responsibility for his position and must, therefore, work extremely hard with that one goal in mind – to make the Springboks successful again,”
Born in Zwide township near Port Elizabeth, loose forward Kolisi is also the DHL Stormers captain and has played in 28 Tests since making his debut at age 22 against Scotland in Nelspruit on 15 June 2013. He has four Test tries to his name.
Speaking to the times.co.za Erasmus elaborated why he’d selected Kolisi as his captain.
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“I know Siya is a good leader and I am excited about what he can offer us‚” said Erasmus.
“I coached him since he was 18 years old when he arrived at the Stormers from the Eastern Cape and through the academy until he played for the Stormers.
“I know him as a good rugby player.
“This year he has gone through some tough times with form as captain of the Stormers but he is a great leader.
“I like him because he is humble‚ he is quiet and the way he is playing at the moment he is not flashy.
“With the breakdown work he is doing in attack‚ the carries and clean ups‚ he is playing almost like a blindside flanker.
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“Before I was appointed‚ I have always understood all the transformation issues and that they are part of the way we are heading and I have bought into that.
“We are trying to fix all the wrong things that were done in the past.
“The recent things that happened did not have a bearing on this decision because my contract was signed long before.
“The players we have in this squad deserve to be here and I am not trying to fabricate things.”
Rassie Erasmus with the two Springbok captains Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit at the team training ground in Johannesburg. @MTNza pic.twitter.com/cCRt3RkkT8
— Springboks (@Springboks) May 28, 2018
But there are no guarantees that Kolisi will hang on to the honour, once the injured Warren Whiteley and Eben Etzebeth return.
“He (Kolisi) is most of the time available and it makes common sense that he is given this responsibility against England with Warren and Eben still out injured.” Erasmus added.
His captain for the Wales game, Du Toit, made his debut as a 21-year-old on 9 November 2013 against Wales in Cardiff. He is equally at home as lock and as loose forward and has played in 32 Test for the Springboks, 21 as lock, 10 times as flank and once as No 8.
All except two of the 43 players reported for Springbok duty on Sunday in Johannesburg, where the squad immediately got their preparations underway for this weekend’s Test against Wales.
The experienced duo of Frans Steyn (centre) and Bismarck du Plessis (hooker) will join the Springbok squad next Monday following the completion of their French club rugby commitments.
The former Munster coach, who was announced as Allister Coetzee’s replacement in March, also selected his 26-man squad for the Test against Wales. He will reveal his starting line-up for the Welsh match on Wednesday, just a few hours before they fly out to Washington.
The Springbok squad to face Wales in Washington (in order of name, position, franchise, Test caps, points):
Forwards (16):
Nizaam Carr (loose forward, DHL Stormers, 5, 0)
Dan du Preez (loose forward, Cell C Sharks, 3, 0)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (lock, DHL Stormers, 32, 20 – 4t)
Thomas du Toit (prop, Cell C Sharks, uncapped)
Jason Jenkins (lock, Vodacom Bulls, uncapped)
Steven Kitshoff (prop, DHL Stormers, 23, 5 – 1t)
Wilco Louw (prop, DHL Stormers, 5, 0)
Frans Malherbe (prop, DHL Stormers, 17, 0)
Bongi Mbonambi (hooker, DHL Stormers, 14, 5 – 1t)
Oupa Mohojé (loose forward, Toyota Cheetahs 18, 0)
Ox Nche (prop, Toyota Cheetahs, uncapped)
Sikhumbuzo Notshe (loose forward, DHL Stormers, uncapped)
Marvin Orie (lock, Emirates Lions, uncapped)
Chiliboy Ralepelle (hooker, Cell C Sharks 23, 5 – 1t)
Kwagga Smith (loose forward, Emirates Lions, uncapped)
Akker van der Merwe (hooker, Cell C Sharks, uncapped)
Backs (10):
Curwin Bosch (utility back Cell C Sharks, 1, 0)
André Esterhuizen (centre, Cell C Sharks, uncapped)
Warrick Gelant (fullback, Vodacom Bulls, 2, 5 – 1t)
Travis Ismaiel (wing, Vodacom Bulls, uncapped)
Elton Jantjies (flyhalf, Emirates Lions, 23, 203 – 2t, 38c, 39p)
Jesse Kriel (centre, Vodacom Bulls, 29, 40 – 8t)
Makazole Mapimpi (wing, Cell C Sharks, uncapped)
Embrose Papier (scrumhalf, Vodacom Bulls, uncapped)
Ivan van Zyl (scrumhalf, Vodacom Bulls, uncapped)
Cameron Wright (scrumhalf, Cell C Sharks, uncapped)
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
6 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
6 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
6 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments