Kolisi warns Springboks they cannot afford complacency against resurgent England at Ellis Park

Siya Kolisi has urged the Springboks not to be lulled into a false sense of security by England’s recent form, insisting South Africa must deliver a complete performance to beat Steve Borthwick’s side at Ellis Park.

England arrive in Johannesburg on the back of a four-Test losing run that produced their worst-ever Six Nations campaign, but Kolisi was quick to dismiss that record as a reliable guide to what his team will face.

“We’ve analysed them and I don’t think we can take too much from their Six Nations campaign,” the South Africa captain said. “If you look at their last game against France, they almost won it in the final seconds — and France are one of the best teams in the world.”

Kolisi pointed specifically to the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final, in which England pushed the eventual champions to the limit, as the clearest warning of what the Springboks can expect.

“They almost took us out of the World Cup in the semi-final and something we learned from that game is if you don’t execute your plan very well against England, they have the potential to punish you,” he said. “They are physically aggressive, even under the high balls. So whatever they’ve done in the past won’t matter. What will make the difference is if we pitch up.”

The flanker also noted that several England players are in strong club form, which he expects to translate into a high-intensity Test performance.

“We know they’re in a good mental space and several players are in form for their clubs, so they’ll bring good energy,” Kolisi added.

His sharpest warning, however, was directed inward. “If we don’t pitch up and execute in the set-pieces and in our kicking game, we’re going to be in trouble,” he said — a candid acknowledgement that the pressure of the occasion falls as heavily on the world champions as it does on their visitors.