Bok skipper Siya Kolisi's true test next week

Siya Kolisi admits the knee injury that has kept him out of the Springbok jersey this year can only truly be tested once he goes into match-day combat.

The Springbok captain on Saturday was upbeat about completing his return to full fitness ahead of the team's departure for the Rugby World Cup.

Kolisi is expected to again take the reins when the Boks clash with Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff next Saturday.

“You can only know that when you step on the field,” he said when asked about his state of readiness after last seeing match-day action in April.

Nothing, he insists can fully replicate match-day action but he's done his bit on the training field. “Our training has helped a lot. It is like a club rugby match. I'm not thinking about the knee. That is the most important thing. In our last training session it got heated in a good way. I forgot about my knee. I just got stuck in. It is a good sign.

“I'm not worried about the knee. If something happens, it happens. With those small voices in my head I would not be able to lead the group,” said Kolisi.

Reclaiming the reins and proving his match readiness so close to the start of the RWC next month is not ideal but the captain insists his authority as the leader is not in question.

“There is no way when I play I have doubts in my head. I can also tell the leaders in the group 'just take charge'. I can rely on other leaders. I can be open and honest because it is not about me. It is about what the team needs at a particular time.”

He takes charge of a group that has been trimmed down from the 42 that was in camp for the past two months or so. With the competition for places in the squad now settled the Boks can focus on fine tuning their game for their opening game against Scotland in Marseille on the 10th of next month.

“With a smaller squad we can actually form connections. The next two (warm-up) games (against Wales and New Zealand) and the first game can set us up for the rest of the tournament.

“We don't need to be motivated at this level. We know what we need to do in these two games. Whoever plays in these two games might play in the first game because you want momentum.”

He explained the team can gain a lot of confidence in the next two games. “The coaches want to see who makes the best connections but at the same time we want to play well and win.”

Though the template that helped carry them to the RWC title in 2019 holds virtues hard wired and embedded in South African rugby, Kolisi agreed renewal was necessary.

In computer speak, same hardware, but with critical updates to software.

“On the field a lot has changed. There is no way we can win if we play exactly the same way as we did in 2019. We had to change a bit to get teams to guess. People studied us and we've had to change. It gives us more freedom,” said Kolisi.

Whatever playing style the Springboks opt to adopt, the expectation at home will remain the same. Kolisi is clear, the pressure they feel is generated within. “We can't let outside pressure control us. Trying to become the first back-to-back winners is putting enough pressure on ourselves.”

As ever, the captain was drawn into debate that transcends the sport. The vicissitudes facing South Africans in their daily life is a topic close to his heart and Kolisi again explained the great sense of responsibility the Springboks feel in easing the pain, however temporary.

“Inspiring, that is always our thing. That is who we are. We know the kind of country we are from. We know there is always something happening that could be negative in the country.

“We don't speak up about a lot of things. You say one thing and it irritates a different group of people. In 2019 we watched the news the coach said 'when you start winning people will start listening to you'. We just lived for those 80 minutes, we had to give everything to make sure people get lifted and get something to smile about. When we win everybody in the country wins.

“Most people think we don't care and that we don't know. We DO know. We have family who are living through all this. We wish we could do stuff that we can do.”