Cheslin Kolbe has been an integral part of the Springboks.
Anton Geyser / Gallo Images
The Springboks began this year’s Rugby Championship tournament looking for redemption and out to prove that their World Cup triumph in France last year was no fluke.
They entered the campaign after a two-match test series with Ireland.
In the first test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, Rassie Erasmus’ troops defeated the Irish 27-20, but the following week were humbled, succumbing to a 25-24 defeat at Kings Park Stadium in Durban.
They turned their attention to the Rugby Championship, and, in the first two rounds, dominated Australia down under. In the first test in Sydney, the Boks ran rampant, beating the Wallabies 33-7. A week later, with arguably a second-string side, the Boks managed a 30-12 win in wet conditions in Perth.
Those two wins set them up nicely for the New Zealand challenge, one in which Erasmus’ men conquered.
READ: Victorious Boks leave it till late against All Blacks
The Springboks maintained their unbeaten run in this year’s Rugby Championship with a hard-fought 18-12 victory over the All Blacks at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town last weekend.
After trailing 9-3 at the halfway mark, the back-to-back World Cup winners sealed the win in the second half with tries from skipper Siya Kolisi and replacement hooker Malcolm Marx.
As things stand, the Boks top the table with 18 points and will travel to Argentina for round five of the tournament in high spirits.
“We had a good start, playing our first two tests in Australia. We didn’t have a good record there for a couple of years,” Bok wing Cheslin Kolbe told SportsBoom.com.
We couldn’t ask for a better start with two bonus point wins, and coming back to our country and playing in front of our home crowd was special. We’re undefeated up until now but we haven’t been playing our best rugby.
Kolbe warned the team against being carried away.
“There’s so much to improve on and learn from, especially the two New Zealand matches. That’s the beauty of the sport, we have another opportunity in the next couple of weeks, the job isn’t done.”
AN EVOLVING ALL-ROUNDER
Kolbe made his Springbok debut against Australia in 2018, during round three of the Rugby Championship.
Since then, he’s gone on to win two World Cups, a British and Irish Lions tour, and the Freedom Cup, and is in line to lift his second Rugby Championship title, the first come back in 2019.
READ: Good Samaritan brings Bok captain Siya Kolisi back home
During his time in the team, he’s played an integral role, featured frequently for the side in recent years, and has evolved his game – making him one of the most exciting and dangerous outbacks in the world.
He can play various positions, throws in the line-out when needed, feed the scrum now and again, and he’s still evolving his game.
“I feel like I’ve grown on and off the field since coming into the Bok setup,” he continued.
“A special thanks must go to the coaches who I’ve been working with, and more so the players around me for making it possible for me to be at my best when wearing the green and gold jersey.
I’ve been given the licence to be myself and play what’s in front of me, but I’m still learning. I always have to come up with something new because teams are analysing me, but it’s all about growing, and this season is no different.
In the current Bok team, several young players are being given an opportunity to showcase their skills by head coach Erasmus.
In the backline, in particular, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Aphelele Fassi are the two who have stepped up and made spectators take notice.
Kolbe said it’s been a joy playing alongside them, and he’s learning a few of their tricks.
“The guys coming through bring a high level of energy into the team,” said Kolbe.“I’ve been trying to learn and pick up from the things they do, whether it’s in the gym or at training, because it brings up something different to my style of play.
“You’d swear they’ve been in the team for five years. Their composure – how well they remain calm under pressure – are impressive. They have a lot of new tricks, and I’m trying to grab as much and stay on par with them,” he concluded.
The Springboks will be back in action on Saturday when they take on Argentina in round five of the Rugby Championship at the Mother of Cities Stadium in Santiago, Argentina.– SportsBoom.com
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