Kolisi wants South Africa’s next generation to start ‘chasing a new sun’
South Africa's rising stars will get a chance to mix it with the best ahead of the start of this country's domestic Super Rugby Unlocked competition.
Siya Kolisi has thanked the fans and his former employers for all their support before leaving Western Province. Picture: Getty Images
Described as the “Newlands Farewell Test” Springbok captain Siya Kolisi believes Saturday’s match-up between Green and Gold is the ideal opportunity to start “chasing a new sun”.
Kolisi was referring to the premier of “Chasing the Sun”, a documentary starting on Sunday which relives the Boks’ Rugby World Cup triumph in Japan last year.
“The documentary will remind me where I was mentally and physically and the fact that I want to get even better,” said Kolisi on Friday, on the eve of Saturday’s match at Newlands.
“I want to chase a new sun,” said Kolisi. “We in the team want that feeling every time we put on that Bok jersey.”
Without their strong contingent of overseas stars, Kolisi believed Saturday’s contest would be about assessing the great local talent and exposing young Bok hopefuls.
“As a group we want to show what we can do and also measure ourselves to see where we are at this point,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity for those who have never had the chance before and for some players it’s the closest they will ever get to a Test match,” he said.
The match has been talked up as a Bok trial, but there is still uncertainty around the World Cup winners playing in the Rugby Championship in Australia in November and December. Kolisi said the players could not toss and turn at night wondering about playing in the competition.
“The players and coaches have this past week just focused on this weekend. It has been the same at our different unions; just making sure we are ready for the Super Rugby Unlocked and the Currie Cup competitions,” he said.
“We don’t know what is going to happen, if we are going to Australia or not, but for us as players it’s about preparing as well as we can every time we’re out there.”
The players are expected to still be a bit rusty after such a long time of inactivity, but Kolisi said they would slowly get up to the levels expected of top class rugby players.
“All we can do is prepare as well as we can and try get our bodies back into shape as quickly as possible. Now is our chance to perform again like we did on that great day at the World Cup in Japan,” he said.
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