There’s a lot Boks can improve on, says try-scoring winger Cheslin Kolbe

Right wing Cheslin Kolbe, who marked his 50th Test with a trademark sidestep that resulted in a try, says the Springboks are “far from perfect”.

They beat England 45-21 in their Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park on Saturday night, but Kolbe said there were areas they needed to work on.

“We were far from perfect,” the mercurial winger said afterwards. “I think there’s a lot that we can improve on, and England brought it to us, especially in the aerial contest. We knew it was going to be a fight, and it’s something we worked on throughout the week.

“For us as wingers, just make sure that we can be better come the next game,” said Kolbe, adding that the Boks should not have squandered the 17-0 lead they held in the first half.

England had pulled back to 17-14 by the break.

“If we have a lead, it’s just to stick to the structures and not make it a loose game, which they managed to get points from. But from set piece to general play to the kicking game, I think there were areas we could have been better in executing.

“But that’s the beauty of rugby; no one’s perfect.”

Kolbe said he had travelled a tough road to follow his dream of becoming a Springbok.

“It wasn’t an easy journey, especially not being the biggest among all the giants on the field. It was going to take a lot of sacrifice, a lot of hard work.

“My dad said something I always remind myself of: ‘Listen, you’re going to have to put in the extra effort, the extra hours in the gym, on the field.’ And it’s something that I’ve been doing.”

Even when he left to play for Toulouse in France in 2017, Kolbe still harboured dreams of making the Springbok side. A year later he received a call-up from coach Rassie Erasmus.

He came on off the bench in the 18-23 loss to Australia in Brisbane and then scored his first try in South Africa’s 36-34 win over the All Blacks in Wellington.

He started off the bench on two more occasions that year, and since then has started every match, mostly at right wing, but nine times on the left wing and twice at fullback.

It’s something I definitely enjoy, I’ve been doing it since I was a young kid, primary [and] high school, and I think my last year in Japan now especially has made me more comfortable

—  Cheslin Kolbe

“It just shows you whenever the opportunity comes, you need to be ready for it because you never know if it’s going to be the only opportunity.

“There are guys that are fortunate enough to get two, and for me, I was just sort of waiting for that opportunity and making the most out of it,” said Kolbe, who also enjoyed the kicking duties against England.

He missed two out of three conversions in the first half and then slotted four out of four in the second stanza.

“It’s something I definitely enjoy; I’ve been doing it since I was a young kid, in primary [and] high school, and I think my last year in Japan now especially has made me more comfortable.

“But it’s something that I’ve kept working on.”

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