Cheslin Kolbe is unfazed by an errant question, politely redirecting without breaking stride with much the same grace and dexterity that he exudes on the pitch.
It’s mid-afternoon and the 32-year-old wing has followed Springboks prop Thomas du Toit and scrumhalf Grant Williams in fulfilling media rotation duty ahead of Saturday’s Test against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.
The three players are model visitors, refusing the revenge motif that’s been offered. There’s no shouting the odds. While Ireland have proved ornery opponents for the double world champions and number one side in the global rankings, South Africa are keeping the rhetoric low key. There is nothing for Ireland’s dressingroom wall.
The players, in turn, speak about the matches in the Rugby Championship and the November Tests as self-contained, single entities. Saturday is another stand-alone game in planning terms. The Springbok players say that they are not imprisoned by the recent history of this fixture. They acknowledge that it will be tough, physical and that they want to win.
RM Block
While largely unstated in an overt way, each player touches upon a theme of how the team supersedes all personal considerations and that they are happily in thrall to head coach Rassie Erasmus and his methods. It doesn’t matter who, what, why, where or when, the players toe the line in embracing selection and the in-game shuffling of resources.
Kolbe is the most direct and forthcoming in explaining their prime motivator. “I think it’s to stay on top. Standards in the past, we can’t rely on that. They’re not going to win us matches and that’s what’s special about this team. The environment, the culture that the coaches and players have bought into, has been unbelievable.
“The plans that the coaches come up with, and the buy-in the players have, it’s incredible. And whether the coaches come up with a plan, players also have a say, whether they think there’s something better we can do, which is also a good environment.”
The challenge, the mantra, is to make the most of opportunities. “There’s no A or B team here. Everybody is seen as number one, and whoever plays on the weekend, we make sure that we prepare them as well as we can, and we respect each and every one of us.
“We just want the best for the player that has the opportunity to wear a special jersey, because at the end of the day, it’s not about us as individuals, it’s for the Springboks and for the millions of people back in South Africa that have been behind this team.”
Kolbe has never won in Dublin, while the Springboks last success there was in 2012. Is it a bugbear? Publicly, no. Privately, there’s no doubt that ticking another box in a long list of achievements brings satisfaction. His focus is on the building blocks of training that enables the Springboks to perform at their best on match days.
Ireland’s record win over Australian sets up Springboks clash perfectly
“South Africa v Ireland; it’s always a massive game. It’s going to be as physical as you can get. We came close in 2022 but just didn’t capitalise on a few opportunities and shots at goal that cost us back then. It would obviously be massive for the team, for our growth and the way we want to move forward.
“These games are so close, you need to make sure you capitalise on every opportunity, and they’ve been doing that well over the past few years.
“It’s a team that’s well coached and has good structure to the game. So, if you’re not up for it on the day, they can hurt you.”
Kolbe may not be the tallest player but he’s good aerially. Teams that have underestimated him in that capacity have realised that to their cost. There is a touch of the silent assassin in the way he manages to collect kick-offs and restarts from under the noses of opponents.
Ireland’s kicking game against Australia was effective, he noted. “I think rugby overall has changed a lot. Kicking has become a big weapon for all teams, and it helps us as well how we want to play.
“Just watching the past few games that they’ve (Ireland) been playing, the kicking game they’ve been capitalising, getting into the air and (winning) those balls that creates the scraps. They’ve just been desperate, more than the other teams, to win those opportunities.
“I obviously love running with the ball but [high-fielding]’s a skill that I’ve learned since I made my debut in 2018 and something I’ll continue to work at. The kicking game has been a big emphasis in all teams across world rugby.
“You need to obviously adapt and chase and work as hard so that you can have a positive impact for the team at the end of the day. Whether that’s getting into the air, whether that’s making a tackle, chasing lost causes, it’s all to benefit the team we play for. That’s how we see it and that’s just how the coaches coach us as well.”
Everyone on message.
