Watch: Siya Kolisi delivers moving speech at Laureus ceremony [video]

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi was on hand to accept another big accolade on Monday night, as the men in green and gold were named the Laureus Sports Team of the Year.

The 2019 Rugby World Cup champions beat a strong field which included the all-conquering United States Women’s Soccer Team, and the history-making NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors among others.

Siya Kolisi delivers another moving speech

The skipper attended the ceremony alongside teammates, Schalk Brits, Francois Louw, Cheslin Kolbe, and Faf de Klerk, as well as newly-appointed head coach Jacques Nienaber, and delivered a moving acceptance speech.

“When Mr Mandela spoke 20 years ago, when he said ‘sport has the power to unite’, I can honestly tell you, I felt it first hand,” Kolisi said.

“Obviously, in 1995 I was a bit too young. But with this group of players, we have Afrikaans guys, Xhosa guys, and guys from the farms, and we all have different challenges.

“But we came together because of the game that we love, which is rugby. We came together because we had one goal, and we fought so hard for each other because our country at the time was going through such a difficult period, with gender-based violence, with xenophobia. And our main goal was to make sure that we come together and do the best that we can in the sport that we love, and we gave everything that we can.”

Siya Kolisi

Kolisi added that in bringing the Webb-Ellis cup back to South Africa, they were able to see the country unite in celebration.

“We inspired a lot of kids to live their dreams. Now a kid from the township, who can’t afford school shoes, who walks to school and doesn’t eat each and every single day can stand here and be a Rugby World Cup-winning captain.”

Siya Kolisi

Watch Siya Kolisi’s acceptance speech at Laureus Sports Awards here:

Another one in the bag for the Springboks

The award was another one in a growing collection the Springboks have managed to add to the cabinet up since conquering the world in Japan back in November.

A remarkable 2019 season began when they went unbeaten on their way to picking up their maiden Rugby Championship title, which they lifted in Argentina.

At the World Cup, the lost their opening match, but were able to redeem themselves winning their next five before beating England in the final, having gone into the encounter as underdogs.

The Boks return to action on 4 July, when they host Scotland at Newlands in the first of two home Tests between the two nations.