There is a question regarding the fitness of Springboks captain Siya Kolisi for the upcoming match against the All Blacks on Saturday. Throughout his outstanding career, Siya Kolisi has repeatedly demonstrated remarkable recovery from injuries.
He overcame knee injuries that threatened his career twice at the last moment before the Rugby World Cups, defying medical prognoses, helping South Africa win the Webb Ellis Cup tournaments in Japan in 2019 and France in 2023. Kolisi's life and sporting career are defined by his astonishing ability to overcome difficulties and achieve success in the most important moments.
Not many leading rugby players, let alone people, have experienced everything he has gone through: from a child struggling for food to the leader of his country in over a hundred Test matches. This is undoubtedly a miracle.
Competition in Rugby
As the second match of the greatest rivalry in rugby between the Springboks and the All Blacks in Cape Town approaches, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus hopes his captain can return to the field despite a nagging hamstring injury.
This season, Kolisi has played only about 26 minutes in international matches, as he was excluded from three Rugby World Cup matches against England, Scotland, and Wales. His return against Argentina was brief, as he left the field before halftime in Buenos Aires.
The Springboks captain missed the first match against the All Blacks because Erasmus decided to give the flanker extra time to recover. However, on Monday, Kolisi was included in the team for the game at DHL Stadium, where he played alongside star Paul de Villiers, who filled in at number 6 in his absence.
Kolisi's presence was very noticeable in his absence at Ellis Park, when the Boks looked rushed and uncertain. The error rate was low, and mistakes such as knock-ons and misses cost the home team momentum and points.
A significant part of the problems was related to the fact that the Boks' attacking structure was not as precise as usual. The All Blacks created chaos in this area, and South Africa could not quickly adapt to stabilize the situation. It was here that the absence and leadership of Kolisi were strongly felt.
As an open position player, many still evaluate Kolisi by the number of tackles he makes in the ball-winning zone when the opponent has possession. However, Kolisi does not play like a true open player, but rather like a hybrid loose forward capable of performing various functions.
The Springboks have enough players capable of winning the ball in the contest, such as forwards Malcolm Marx and Jasper Wiese, as well as centre Damian de Allende. But it became clear on Saturday that they needed someone who could track the ball.
Kolisi's true value lies in protecting the Boks' ball in attack, making numerous rucks when the South Africans have possession. In recent years, he has been used as a ball carrier in wide channels, but his main role at number 6 is ensuring clean and quick ball delivery for the Boks.
Erasmus and the Springboks need Kolisi's return to the field to bring calm and precision, which should allow the Boks team to build a foundation for their dangerous wingers to thrive. The South Africans had many opportunities to break into the All Blacks' zone but managed to score only one attempt and accumulate 16 points due to a lack of accuracy, which starts with a stable platform in the ball-winning areas.
Later this week, it will be known whether Kolisi will take the field in front of his home crowd, who will be praying for another rugby miracle.