Siya Kolisi's honest response to playing No.8 for the first time as a Bok

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says he will not try to replicate the approach of Jasper Wiese or Duane Vermeulen when he starts at No.8 for the first time in his Test career against Australia at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Kolisi, who will win his 94th cap in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship opener, has typically worn the No.6 jersey but will shift to the back of the scrum against the Wallabies.

“My role will change slightly in the lineouts and the scrums, but other than that I’ll be fulfilling my usual role,” said Kolisi. “Playing No 8 at the Hollywoodbets Sharks certainly helped me, although the role here is different.”

The comparatively modestly built 6’2, 104kg back-rower is under no illusions about the type of game he will bring to the table in his new position.

“I’m also not the same type of player as Jasper (Wiese) or a former Bok No 8 Duane (Vermeulen) in terms of my size, so I’m going to give what I can offer.”

The flanker-turned-No.8 said he expected a fierce contest at Ellis Park, with the Wallabies showing form in their recent clashes with the British & Irish Lions.

“The talk in our camp has solely been on Australia,” Kolisi said. “We saw how they played against the British & Irish Lions, and we’ve been in the position they are now in the past, so it would be foolish to think that they won’t throw everything at us. We are certainly not thinking about the New Zealand matches now.”

Kolisi brushed off any suggestion the Springboks were favourites: “We don’t think of such things. For us, it’s all about our standards, and after looking back at our last four matches, we’ve worked hard to ensure that we are at the level we need to be going into this match.”

The Bok skipper added that the battle at the breakdown would be decisive. “The breakdowns are going to be a big area of the game, so myself, Marco (van Staden) and Pieter-Steph (du Toit) have an important job, although that said, the breakdowns are a team effort.”