JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 29: Trevor Nyakane and Siya Kolisi warming up during the South African national men’s rugby team training session at St Stithians College on June 29, 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
Springboks set out to give the nation a lift, again
The Springboks face Georgia in the first Test of the season on Friday which also happens to be their first international since winning the Rugby World Cup.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 29: Trevor Nyakane and Siya Kolisi warming up during the South African national men’s rugby team training session at St Stithians College on June 29, 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi says that the team are out to put smiles on South Africans faces as the international season kicks off on Friday.
The Springboks face Georgia in the first Test of the season on Friday which also happens to be their first international since winning the Rugby World Cup.
Springboks want to lift spirits
Kolisi hopes that their performance against the up-and-coming Lelos will lift the spirits of some, if not all of their fans.
“As a team, this is what we love doing and it is a privilege for us, so we give everything everyday, and we do everything as well as we can,” said Kolisi, who will earn his 51st Test cap when he runs onto the park.
“What we do sometimes makes people smile and it gives them hope. Some of us have our own stories, and there are people who relate to it, and that gives them hope.
“We’d like to put a smile on people’s faces because many (South Africans) are experiencing tough times throughout the country.
“The game might not make them happy, but we hope it will lift one or two people’s (spirits) because we don’t only play for the Springboks and our families, we play for the rest of the country and people that support us.
“We will play to the best of our ability and give everything out there because we are privileged to be able to do what we love this weekend.”
‘We just need to be strong as South Africans’
The Springboks backline coach Mzwandile Stick echoed the skippers sentiment while acknowledging the sacrifice the player’s have made by entering the bubble.
“We are all taking about the sad times during this pandemic, but we’d like to bring smiles to people’s faces and hope.
“It’s not only when things go well that we’d like to be recognised as the Springboks, we also want to be an example during the tough times.
“Our players have sacrificed a lot to be here. They are not spending time with their children, wives and families.
“We’d like to say to the people of our country that we should be positive and comply with the regulations, and at the end of the day we’ll get through this, we just need to be strong as South Africans.”
