Siya Kolisi. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/Sports Inc
WATCH: Kolisi sportsmanship that many missed in real time
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has been commended for the sportsmanship he displayed in the Sharks’ game against the Stormers.
Siya Kolisi. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/Sports Inc
The Sharks and Stormers played out to a 22-22 draw in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash in Durban, with the home side left frustrated with that result after leading 19-3 at one point. The Sharks had numerous opportunities to put the game away, including one instance when Kolisi was held up over the tryline.
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However, it’s since been picked up how Kolisi made a potential TMO decision a whole lot easier by honestly admitting that he was held up.
The clash at Kings Park was a largely stop-start affair, and there have been calls for more players to save time by conceding when they have not scored, which has happened on rare occasions in the past.
You can see the video clip with Kolisi below:
Last Thursday, Kolisi was deservedly named as the SA Rugby Player of the Year for 2021. He had been nominated alongside Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Eben Etzebeth and Makazole Mapimpi, who battled it out for the coveted award after earning the most votes in the annual nomination process.
READ | KOLISI NAMED SA RUGBY PLAYER OF THE YEAR!
Kolisi – who was named the Springbok Player of the Lions Series last year and was the only Springbok to play in all 13 Tests in 2021 – led South Africa to a superb series victory over the British & Irish Lions in August and memorable wins against the All Blacks and Wales.
At a virtual press conference with Kolisi, director of rugby Rassie Erasmus – who has just completed his first 60-day ban from World Rugby – popped up to ask a pertinent question.
“Siya congrats,” Erasmus said. “What would you say to young or old players when negative stuff is said about them or when they are written off and told they shouldn’t be in the team?”
THE BOK CAPTAIN PROVIDED A WELL-CONSIDERED ANSWER
“Coach, I think if you can manage to take comments on board, both the good and bad, that’s fine. But the harshest critic has to be yourself at the end of the day. You need to look at yourself because you know the processes and preparation required to perform at your best, and you have to ask yourself: ‘have I worked hard enough?.
‘That is the most important thing before reading any comments. Sometimes things don’t always work out exactly as you’d like, but in the Bok camp, the way we worked never changed no matter who we played against or what happened. So ja, you have to be your own biggest critic before anyone else, and sometimes you have to take criticism on the chin, see what you’ve done to prepare and perhaps what you could have done better.
“So focus on yourself, believe in yourself and realise that sometimes your form will waver. I experienced that before the 2019 World Cup, but you just told me to keep working hard, to get myself fit, and that the form would then return. That helped a lot. Sometimes you just have to go back and play club rugby or for your franchise to find a way back to playing your best.”
