Latest news with #Kolisi
The Citizen
a day ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Boks aim to end All Blacks' 31-year unbeaten run at Eden Park fortress
Siya Kolisi says the SA team's goals at the Auckland venue are more important than him reaching 100 Test caps this season. Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said the team's success, and beating New Zealand at Eden Park, are more important than him reaching 100 Test caps. Picture:Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says ending New Zealand's 31-year winning streak at Eden Park is one of the top priorities for the national side this year. The All Blacks have not lost to a visiting team at the Auckland venue since 1994, when France snatched a 23–20 victory thanks to a late try by Jean-Luc Sadourny, which was called the 'try from the end of the world'. New Zealand recorded their 50th consecutive win at the venue in August last year. Boks on 15 wins out of 17 The top-ranked Springboks are likewise in a good space. They've won all four matches so far this season, fielding 47 new players, and were victorious in 11 of their 13 games last season. They will take on the All Blacks at Eden Park in their first Rugby Championship encounter on 6 September. In discussing his goals for the rest of the year, Kolisi said a win at the venue would be crucial to remaining the number one team in the world, which was his main goal. 'We would have to win in Auckland to be number one. It would be great if we could be number one and win all our games, with players also getting opportunities along the way.' Kolisi has 93 Test caps after the Springboks' 55–10 win over Georgia in Mbombela at the weekend. It is possible for him to reach 100 caps by the end of the season. But when asked about this, he said he would rather see the team succeed. 'If the team can get all the goals, that is most important,' he said. Kolisi: Team success is more important than a personal milestone The skipper added: 'I am trying not to think of it to be honest. It's obviously a huge honour to play 100 games. But I don't want to think so far ahead. It could happen this year. It could happen next year. Either way, I am just grateful that I can just play again.' The Bok captain said it was more important to see growth in his personal game, as well as in the squad. 'We are going to be judged on the standards that the guys have set last week. It doesn't matter what the opposition does. If I am going to clean, how am I cleaning? Yes we can win the ball back but how did I clean? What was my intention in that clean? 'More importantly, just us getting better and delivering on the things that coach is speaking about.'
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Siya Kolisi gears up for 100th Bok cap as he shows no signs of slowing down
Siya Kolisi made a triumphant return to the international stage in the Springboks' 55-10 victory over Georgia in Mbombela on Saturday — his first Test appearance since November 23 last year. Despite the lengthy absence through injury, the 34-year-old flanker delivered a typically high-octane performance earning his 93rd Test cap. He missed the Springboks' recent outings against the Barbarians and Italy with a niggling setback, but showed no signs of rust in his comeback. Kolisi is closing in on a major career milestone, with only seven more appearances needed to join Willie le Roux — who reached his 100th cap in the second Test against Italy — in the exclusive Bok centurion club. With 10 more Tests on the calendar this year, including six Rugby Championship fixtures, South Africa's inspirational skipper is on course to hit triple figures during the end-of-year tour to Europe. 'My body feels good and I am trying not to think about the 100 Tests because that will be a huge honour,' Kolisi said.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
‘In good shape': Stick says Kolisi on track for 2027 World Cup
The Springbok assistant coach said it was unfair to select a player based on their age, and Siya Kolisi is one of the fittest in the team. Siya Kolisi returned to action at the weekend against Georgia after an injury layoff of a few weeks. Picture: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said age would never count against a player, and that seasoned captain Siya Kolisi would be selected for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia if he maintains his fitness and skill set. Stick said Kolisi, who is 34 but will be 36 by the time of the World Cup, is still one of the fittest players in the squad despite his age. Kolisi, for his part, said he is feeling good physically and described the World Cup as the 'end goal'. He said head coach Rassie Erasmus' rotational policy, as well as the team's conditional coaches and medical teams, made this feel like an achievable feat. 'That is the end goal' 'I feel good, my body feels good. It's all about how it goes. I must take it year by year and game by game,' said Kolisi, who now has 93 Test caps. 'That is the end goal. I still want to be there and coach Rassie said you can be 36, but if you are the fittest 36-year-old, that is all you need. I don't need to be the fittest out of everyone. It's all about what I can do and produce on the field. If I still feel as good as I feel today, I think I will be there.' Stick said it would be unfair of coaches to force players to retire due to their age. 'Siya is in good shape,' the coach said. He referred to hooker Schalk Brits, who played in the 2019 World Cup at the age of 38, and No 8 Duane Vermeulen, who was 37 at the 2023 Rugby World. Likewise, Deon Fourie was the oldest player to make his Springbok debut, at 36. He was 37 when he played in the 2023 World Cup. 'They were still producing what we needed from them,' Stick said. Kolisi one of the fittest Springboks in the squad 'We were surprised because when we started this year with the camps in Joburg, we started with the heavy fitness test. Siya had one of the good scores. 'To us, age doesn't really matter that much. The more they produce, and they can keep up with our programme and how we train, even if you get to the age of 38 or 40 we will still select you. 'It will be unfair to think that way of looking at the age of the players. We don't have the right to do so. If he can still produce, we probably will select him.'
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Springboks want to stack up positives after Georgian win
The Springboks put in a a mixed performance but still had enough power to cruise to a 55-10 win over Georgia in Mbombela. Loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit and lock Ruan Nortje in action for the Springboks against Georgia in Mbombela on Saturday night. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said that his side weren't completely satisfied with their performance, despite picking up a big 55-10 win over Georgia in their one-off Test at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday. The Boks got off to a slow start, with the visitors scoring the first try, before the hosts battled back to lead 22-10 at halftime and then powered away with a further five tries in the second half to cruise over the 50 point mark. Speaking after the game Kolisi admitted that they weren't able put enough consecutive positive plays together, which stemmed their flow and led to a difficult first half effort, before improving after the break which allowed them to open up a bit more. 'It was a tough game, credit to the Georgians, they came hard in the first half. Physically they matched us most of the time, and we struggled at the breakdown, they were quite dominant there. So we were happy with the way we cleaned up in the second half,' said Kolisi. 'The problem was we weren't able to produce enough positives one after the other. We did something good and then we would make a mistake, so that slowed down our momentum. 'The game was also a bit slow, and was very stop-start. But hopefully we can fix our problems and make sure that we build on our positives going forward.' Competition for places It was a rookie front row that turned out for the Boks in the match, with props Boan Venter, Neethling Fouche and hooker Marnus van der Merwe all making their official debuts for the national team, and they produced a solid effort first up, impressing in the scrums, while also making a few mistakes in general play. Edwill van der Merwe (third cap), and Cobus Wiese (second cap) were also given valuable game time, and Kolisi said the competition in the squad is great and is keeping the more experienced players on their toes. 'I am happy for them (debutants). Congratulations to them and their families. The coach is building squad depth while we are winning, and you can see the amount of competition in the group. The guys (who played) last week set the standard,' explained Kolisi. 'I think in the first half here we didn't live up to that standard and had to pick it up in the second half. So competition is tight and everyone who gets an opportunity has got to take it. But that's what keeps the squad fresh and on their toes.' Lock Ruan Nortje is also growing game by game, with this his eighth appearance for the Boks, and he produced a fantastic effort against the Georgians, which saw him named man-of-the-match. 'It is always special to play in Mbombela, the supporters are amazing. Credit to Georgia for bringing it tonight. We knew they are a physical team and rising in the ranks, so it was an awesome challenge against them,' said Nortje.
IOL News
4 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Error-ridden Springboks stumble in Mbombela as feisty Georgia make a statement
SPRINGBOK lock DG Snyman going against a bruising Georgia wal as they were Tested by in Mbombela in their final outing before the Rugby Championship. | BackpagePix Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will be unsure whether to laugh or cry as his team were poor and wonderful in equal measure on their way to beating Georgia 55-10 in Mbombela on Saturday night. Either way, the Boks were put through a serious examination by the Lelos, and perhaps it was the ideal way for the Boks to finish their four-match block of games that warm them up for the Rugby Championship, which kicks off in a month. Ideal because they will know they are some way off their best form, and a mountain of improvement is required if they are to beat the All Blacks in Auckland on September 6, the match which is the climax of the Boks' international season. We know the Georgians are tough — their national sport is wrestling — but few could have predicted that the double world champions would be forced into their most unconvincing start to a match in years. It was not easy on the eye for the 40,000 in the Mbombela Stadium as the Lelos blasted out of the blocks. Captain Siya Kolisi was bowled over in a frenzied forward assault and went off for a concussion assessment. Kwagga Smith was on for Kolisi after a minute and a half. He had just taken his place when the visitors silenced the stadium with a perfectly executed try off the back of a maul, with hooker Vano Karkadze granted the score even though the TV replay showed that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu had got his hands underneath the ball. Georgia hadn't received the memo that they would be little more than tackle bags. It took the Boks ten minutes to settle, and two tries were scored by debutants in quick succession, both from close quarters. First prop Boan Venter crashed over, and then local boy Marnus van der Merwe went over off the back of a lineout. In the 13th minute, Kolisi returned and was on hand to see Van der Merwe score. Georgia almost scored again, this time from a slick backline movement, with a flying cover tackle by Aphelele Fassi saving the day. The Boks' third try was a beauty. A magnificent backline movement, replete with nifty passing, produced a clean break by Grant Williams, and then Canan Moodie finished powerfully, replicating his effort from Gquberha the week before when he took two defenders on his back. Feinberg-Mngomezulu sent his third consecutive conversion attempt wide. Penalties were flowing the way of the eastern Europeans as their pressure told on the Boks. They were shrugging off the defensive intensity of the Boks, and as the half-hour mark approached, they won a penalty for Luka Matkava to kick over for a 15-10 scoreline to the Boks. Van der Merwe scored his second, again off the tail of a rolling maul, to give the Boks a dubious 22-10 lead at half time. The first try of the second half was scored by Edwill van der Merwe, his fourth try in his third match for his country. It came from a bulldozing effort by Pieter-Steph du Toit in the Georgia 22m, and a long pass by Williams saw Van der Merwe run the try in. Handre Pollard replaced the off-colour Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the 55th minute, and one of his first actions was to put Damian Willemse through a gap for a try off a scrum near the Georgia line. Faf de Klerk was on for Williams, and what a fantastic cameo he enjoyed as he fights for his place in the greater Springbok squad. He was like a terrier on steroids as he buzzed about the field, his old home ground when he was with the Pumas. And with seven minutes remaining, he nudged a kick over the defence in the Georgia 22 for Edwill van der Merwe to gather and score his second. With time up on the clock, the Boks showed great ambition to run from their tryline, with Pollard scoring in the last movement of the match. Scorers Springboks — Tries: Boan Venter, Marnus van der Merwe (2), Canan Moodie, Edwill van der Merwe (2), Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Handre Pollard Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Handre Pollard (3). Georgia — Try: Vano Karkadze. Conversion. Luka Matkava. Penalty: Matkava.
