Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is back from an injury to lead South Africa in the second Test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry against the All Blacks.
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Siya Kolisi’s return to the** Springbok** fold has been welcomed with open arms, but just as encouraging has been the responsible approach the captain took during his rehabilitation.
Kolisi has worked hard to make his way back into the team as quickly as possible after missing the first Test at Ellis Park last weekend. However, he was not prepared to rush the process or risk aggravating an injury before he was ready for his first match in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
That meant making some difficult decisions along the way, including admitting when he was not yet 100% fit and taking an extra week to recover in time for the second match against the All Blacks.
According to his Springbok teammate Thomas du Toit, that showed just how responsible Kolisi was with his recovery.
“Yeah, it’s great having Siya back in the team. I think he did very well with his rehab to get back as quickly as he could,” the said.
“You know, he was really trying hard to get back in the team, and then every time he didn’t really feel 100%, he would be big enough of a person to say, listen, I’m not ready, and take the extra week.
“I think he made very responsible calls, not only for the team, but for himself. And, you don’t want to play with a niggle or injury or something,” he added.
Now back with the squad, Kolisi brings more than just his experience on the field. His voice and presence at training are already being felt, particularly among the younger players. However, the proof will be in the pudding on Saturday when he leads the side out on the field for the second battle.
“He’s very vocal, especially at training, and I feel that helps a lot. I think it gives a lot of confidence to the younger guys,” Du Toit added.
The Bok prop also praised fellow prop Ox Nché playing in his 50th match, while Pieter-Steph du Toit will run out in his 100th match for the world champions. Both have a big role to play on Saturday and there will be plenty of pressure on them to perform and lead the team to victory.
“I’m incredibly grateful for him (Nché), as a player and as a person. I’m very glad about him making his 50th. I’m as proud as a fellow teammate can be. I’m very happy for him and, yeah, hopefully we can do the job to make it a memorable one for him, and obviously for Pieter-Steph for his 100th.”
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