Kolisi recalls 2018 comeback that defined his Springbok captaincy ahead of 72nd cap against England

Siya Kolisi has opened up on the match that shaped his Springbok captaincy, describing South Africa’s dramatic 42-39 comeback victory over England in 2018 as a moment that “changed my life” — with the side facing a 24-3 deficit before turning the game around.

Kolisi was speaking ahead of the Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park on 4 July, where he will lead the Springboks for a record 72nd time against the same opponents who tested him so severely in his first match as skipper.

“That 2018 match was a huge learning opportunity for me,” Kolisi told local media. “I remember it was very tough and emotional. I think the emotions got the better of me. I struggled a bit, but the team did well, and I had so many great leaders around me.”

The now 35-year-old was appointed by head coach Rassie Erasmus as the first black captain in the Springboks’ 127-year history for that fixture, and the occasion initially appeared to be overwhelming. With England 21 points ahead, Kolisi admitted he had no immediate answers — and found the solution by turning to those around him.

“That was where I actually learned how to use the people around me,” he said. “I remember England went 21 points up, and everybody looked at me under the posts. I said: ‘I have no answers.’ Then I looked at the guy next to me and asked: ‘Do you have something to say?’”

Kolisi credited Erasmus and assistant coach Jacques Nienaber for creating the conditions that allowed him to find his footing. “Rassie has known me since I was 18 years old. He knew I would struggle at the beginning, and he put systems in place that allowed me to focus on what I needed to do. Now I’m able to share that with the other guys when they’re in the leadership group as well.”

Looking ahead to the Ellis Park clash, Kolisi expressed enthusiasm about the depth of talent available to the Springboks, including exposure to South Africa’s Under-20 squad during training. “Complacency can creep in when there’s nobody there to take your place. That’s not the case with us,” he said.

“There are so many guys on the same level. We are competing, but at the same time, we are helping each other because the team comes first. When we trained with the Under-20 group, the intensity was really high because they are fearless and they don’t know what the limit is. Coach Rassie can call on them at any time now if something happens to any of us, and that’s a good thing.”