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Captain Siya Kolisi says struggles endured by millions of South Africans are driving the Springboks’ quest to retain the Rugthrough World Cup ahead of a semi-final against England.
Jacques Nienaber’s side are the clear favourites to move from a rematch of the 2019 final to a showdown against either New Zealand or Argentina.
Flanker Kolisi, his country’s first black captain, overcame the poverty of his formative years to win the Webb Ellis Cup 4 years ago in Japan.
The 32-year-old spoke passionately about homelessness and unemployment and believes that not giving 100 percent would be “cheating” his countrymen.
“I don’t think it’s ever going to change who we bet on, who we represent,” he said.
“When you start betting on others and doing things for others, it’s not easy to give up, it’s much harder.
“When you think about the number of people who would give anything to be where we are and the majority of people in our country are unemployed, some of them are unhoused.
“For me to give up and not give it my all would be to cheat not only myself and the team, but also the rest of the people at home.
In Jesse Kriel’s. . . #RWC2023 | @Springboks pic. twitter. com/bSQWvaIviB
– Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) 17 October 2023
“The harder we play, the more successful we will be and the more opportunities we will have for others, which also motivates us.
“I think we’re a goal-oriented team, we’re not a trophy-driven team; Of course, trophies attract more people with you.
“Sometimes you can look at the difficulties of what you’re going through and feel sorry for yourself. But we use that pain and those struggles and bring them with us to guide us through the battles. It helps us keep going when it’s hard.
Three-time champions South Africa beat France 29-28 in a thrilling quarter-final to keep their name defence on track.
Kolisi will lead an unchanged squad for Saturday’s match against Steve Borthwick’s side at the Stade de France in Paris.
“I’d like you to see all the enthusiasts back home,” he continued.
“That’s the only thing people communicate about, most of the time, with everything else that happens.
“The kids at school send excerpts of themselves making a song because they know some of us like to sing.
“People in the draws on Fridays wear their green shirts and what’s nice to see is that other people who can’t buy those shirts, wear everything that’s green, everything that represents the Springboks.
“We see it and it will continue to be our motivation and we know what the team has meant in the future, just in sport, for our country in general.
“It’s most helpful when you don’t do anything for yourself, just when you help other people you don’t even know or have never met. “
England, the underdogs, came into the tournament without fanfare, but they are the unbeaten team in the competition.
Kolisi insists Borthwick’s men will not be underestimated, although for many rugby pundits and enthusiasts a final between the Springboks and the All Blacks is just a formality.
“Obviously we don’t see it that way because we know how smart England have been in the last few World Cups they’ve played,” he said.
“It would be foolish to think like that and never have been like that.
“We’ve seen at the World Cup that groups that weren’t even in the top 10 beat the top 10 groups, so it would be foolish to think like that. We’re not in that spirit.
“We know exactly what we’re going to bring and the motivation we have. “
South Africa team: D Willemse; KL Arendse, J Kriel, D De Allende, C Kolbe; Libbok M, Reinach C; S Kitshoff, B Mbonambi, F Malherbe, E Etzebeth, F Mostert, S Kolisi (captain), P-S du Toit, D Vermeulen.
Substitutes: D Fourie, O Nche, V Koch, RG Snyman, K Smith, F De Klerk, H Pollard, W Le Roux.