Kolisi deserves his face on Table Mountain
09/15/2024 12:19 AM
Siya Kolisi is a national treasure, and the Springbok skipper's worth as a player, leader, and an ambassador for South Africa can never be overstated, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane praises Kolisi's decision to continue chasing a third consecutive Rugby World Cup title for South Africa in 2027.
Kolisi, after signing with Racing 92 post-2023, has returned to the Sharks after one season in France. Keohane emphasises that Kolisi's decision was driven by his desire to remain a Bok and contribute to their continued success.
“Siya Kolisi's decision to continue to chase his dream of leading the Springboks to a third successive World Cup title in Australia in 2027 is a massive injection to what is already a campaign loaded with sunshine and plenty of Vitamin C,” he writes.
“Kolisi, in the months that followed the 2023 World Cup final win against the All Blacks in Paris, was honest to himself in that the prospect of wearing the green and gold jersey evoked an emotion far stronger than any contentment that may have been associated with international retirement.”
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His recent performance against the All Blacks in the Rigby Championship at Cape Town Stadium, where the loose forward led the Boks to an 18-12 victory, was, according to Keohane, one of his finest.
“[Rassie] Erasmus was as frank in his assessment that he still believed Kolisi was good enough to start for the Springboks. And if Kolisi starts, he is the first out of the tunnel with the captain's armband,” Keohane writes.
“If there were any doubts about his appetite or ability to still lead from the front, based on an indifferent 18-match spell at Racing, they were buried in Cape Town, along with the All Blacks.”
Keohane also credits Sharks owner Marco Masotti for facilitating Kolisi's return to South African rugby, a move that benefits the national team.
In a podcast with SA Rugby magazine editor Zelím Nel and Tim Cocker of popular podcast EggChasers, Kolisi was unanimously chosen as the first face on a hypothetical Springbok Mount Rushmore, a testament to his reverence in the Republic.
“Kolisi's worth, not just as a player, but as a leader, an inspiration, an ambassador and an example of everything that is possible in South Africa if given an opportunity, can never be overstated,” Keohane writes.
“He is a national treasure, on and off the field.”
Photo: Anton Geyser/AG Media
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