Coach Franzel September warns Springbok women's team about the need for continuous growth

The longevity of Springboks veterans like Siya Kolisi and Cheslin Kolbe is attributed to hard work and the rejection of easy paths. Several weeks before the upcoming matches against the Barbarians and England, a video clip filmed by a witness appeared on social media, showing Siya Kolisi running intensely along the Cape Town promenade. This clip drew admiration from the observer, who noted the captain of the Springboks' 'rocker' training regimen.

Players' Goals and Motivation

Kolisi celebrated his 35th birthday on June 16. Additional runs are part of his firm resolve not to let himself relax, as he aims to participate in the last World Cup in Australia next year. He does not need a reminder that he will turn 36 when the Boks begin defending the Webb Ellis Cup on October 3, 2027, in Adelaide in a tense clash with Italy.

Team Support and Culture

His childhood friend from Zweide, Tamsanga Nchwana, who heads the recruitment department at the marketing company Roc Nation Sports International, knows Kolisi well. In South Africa, Roc Nation represents Kolisi, Cheslin Kolbe, Afelele Fassi, Jordan Hendricks, and young players such as Hashim Pead, Oliver Reed, Jonathan Roach, and Jaco Williams.

Nchwana, known as Mr. T, stated: 'Siya put in tremendous work before the Boks camp. He understands he is aging, and to keep up with the level, he has to train extra. He desperately wants to be in Australia in 2027.'

He added that Kolisi is not envious but rather motivates the youth, telling them: 'If you want my spot, you have to fight for it; I won't give it away.'

Management's View of the Team

Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation from America, emphasized that Siya never took anything for granted. He speaks of the hard work required to maintain a high level. Yormark noted that having incredible young talent in South Africa motivates the senior players: if they do not work hard, are not in top form, and do not sacrifice, they will be replaced. He continued that being surrounded by young players helps keep veterans young, as they 'push' the veterans. This is why he admires Rassie Erasmus and his plan to develop young talent, which helps maintain motivation and inspiration among more experienced players, creating an excellent team culture.

Cheslin Kolbe's Position

Alongside Kolisi at the National Championship match against England in Ellis Park was Kolbe, who will turn 33 shortly before the World Cup begins. Provided there are no injuries, this electric utility player is likely to make the squad in Australia, as he is ready to fight for his spot until the end. Yormark revealed that before the selection for the match against England, Cheslin told him he didn't know if he would be in the starting lineup. Kolbe said: 'I don't know if I will be selected.' This demonstrates both his humility and the tough culture created by Rassie. There are no guarantees, and you must fight for your position, regardless of who you are.

Kolbe's Success Story

Kolbe earned his 50th cap for the national team during the match against England—a remarkable achievement for a player historically not considered a contender for the highest level due to prejudices against his small build. Yormark called Cheslin a modern example of an underdog story. He noted that Kolbe's achievements, given his background, completely contradict expectations. He added that Cheslin never paid attention to external comments like 'You won't make it, you aren't big enough, you will never be a Springbok.' Instead, he used it as a stimulus to achieve his goal.

Personal Life and Future

Yormark also noted that Kolbe's off-field behavior makes him a role model athlete. He described him as a very kind and gentle person, an incredible family man for whom family is the central part of life and one of the reasons he decided to return from Japan to play for the Stormers. Currently, this is an ideal time for Cheslin to make changes, as it allows him to answer an important question: 'How does an athlete prepare for life after rugby or sport?' Since he is in the prime of his career, he can lay the foundations for his future life outside of sports. Although returning to rugby and being with his family is a blessing, he can also start preparing for life after sport, which is critically important.

The Springbok Women team has focused on the upcoming match against the USA at Ellis Park, relying on squad depth and the power of their forwards to cope with the absence of injured star Nadine Roos.

Impact of Player Injury

The loss of a player described as the 'X-factor' for the Springbok Women team, Nadine Roos, will not prevent the team from sticking to its playing style during the reception of the American squad this weekend in Johannesburg. Roos, who is the current SA Rugby Women's Player of the Year, is considered a superstar, and her absence is felt by any team during pre-season preparation.

Roos sustained a knee injury during the Bok Women’s Sevens game earlier this year and is expected to undergo a long recovery process over the coming weeks and months. Consequently, the 30-year-old athlete will miss the upcoming bilateral series against the USA, which starts on Saturday at Ellis Park (kick-off at 13:30) and continues a week later at Loftus Versfeld.

Significance of Nadine Roos

Nadine Roos is regarded as one of the best playmakers in world rugby currently. Due to her skills in the Sevens format and her versatility—she can play as a halfback, wingfield, or fullback—she presents a dangerous target for opposition defense, whether as a distributor, first receiver, or during counterattacks. Against the USA, who prefer an expansive game plan, she would have had numerous opportunities to attack the opposition's defensive line.

Team Strategy Adaptation

Nevertheless, the Bok Women will have to do without her participation. Assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt is confident that the team possesses the necessary mental resilience, physical fitness, skills, and squad depth to handle this task, relying on players in positions #9: Unam Tosi, Felicia Jacobs, and Anakadia Minnar.

The latter played in the recent African Championship title defense for the Bok Women, starting against Madagascar and Kenya, and also came on as a substitute against Uganda, while Insaaf Levi—who is not part of the current 30-woman squad—served as a reserve. Johannes-Haupt explained that 'Nadine played in the nine position in our system.' He added that 'we have two players in the nine position who participated in the African Cup to bring them up to the required level. They all bring something to the team. We have adapted our playing style so they can achieve the best result with the players in our system.'

Tactical Preferences

The halfback lineup for this weekend will depend entirely on the bench selection, which will be announced at the team briefing on Thursday. It is expected that Tosi will start and may finish if coach Sviss de Bruin chooses a 6-2 formation. This formation is considered preferred because, as Johannes-Haupt explained, the Bok Women like to dominate the attack using their forward pack. He noted: 'We like to dominate up front, so our forward play will be the engine of the game. Later in the match we can become more expansive and open up to achieve our goals.'

Goals for the next two weeks include finding synergy, forward dominance in play, and utilizing backline advantages gained through dominance in possession. A victory will be sufficient reward for achieving these objectives.