Rugby World Cup: Ahead of RSA-ENG – Siya Kolisi wants to be more than just a double world champion – Sports

Siya Kolisi is the first black captain of the South African national rugby team. He shines as a role model on and off the field.

Siya Kolisi has already made his plan for the future. “When I stop playing, I want to make the world a better place,” the South African powerhouse recently said on a podcast. Mind set winning. For many people, this is an empty phrase – but Springbok can certainly be trusted.

Kolisi shines on the rugby field. With his style of play, but above all with his respectful behaviour, he embodies this sport to perfection. A combination that helped him become captain of the South African national team in 2018. This is a historic achievement for the rainbow nation, as no black player has ever been given the honour.

South Africa united in rugby

During apartheid, whites played rugby in South Africa, and the Springboks were a symbol of apartheid. After the first democratic elections in 1994, a team including both black and white players participated in the World Cup for the first time the following year. South Africa won the title on home soil, and pictures of President Nelson Mandela in a green “Springbox” shirt spread around the world.

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Historical photo

South African President Nelson Mandela congratulates Captain Francois Pienaar on his 1995 World Cup victory.

IMAGO IMAGES / GALLO IMAGES

With this new sense of togetherness, the country’s problems did not disappear with the push of a button. But Kolisi, who has gone from one of the country’s poorest towns to the big stage, now embodies the ‘new’ team – and is therefore a role model for many young South Africans. “He’s someone everyone wants to be around,” former Nationals player Joel Stransky said. Kolisi is iconic “because of the way he drives, the way he plays, the way he lives his life.”