Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said the team would play for Eben Etzebeth, who will become the most capped Springbok of all time with 128 Tests, and to make the entire country proud when they line up against Argentina in Nelspruit on Saturday a7 17:00 (SA Time).
The Boks hope to clinch the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title which will see Kolisi lift the trophy for the first time since 2019.
Kolisi said the fact that no player in this squad has ever won the full edition of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, a feat last achieved by the Boks in 2009 as well as in 2004 and 1998 when Bok coach Rassie Erasmus was a player, would make winning the title even sweeter if they achieve this objective.
The Bok captain, who made his Test debut in Nelspruit against Scotland in 2013, had fond memories of running out in the Springbok jersey for the first time in Nelspruit and he was delighted to share Etzebeth’s phenomenal achievement with him in the same city as a good a friend on Saturday.
“I’ll never forget my first game, it was a special one against Scotland and it was tough too, so it’s fantastic for me to share this moment with Eben and mark this milestone with him together,” said Kolisi.
“I met Eben when I was 18 years old and we’ve been friends for a long time, even when he went overseas.
“So, for us as a team, the best way to show how special he is to us will be to win tomorrow. “He doesn’t want this week to be about him, winning (the game and the trophy) would mean so much more to him.”
Commenting on Etzebeth as a player and team-mate, Kolisi said: “A lot of people see him as playing an enforcing role and being a good leader, but he’s also very intelligent, so there’s so much more to him than his physicality. He also plays a crucial role in ensuring that the team’s values are kept intact.”
Asked what it would mean to this Springbok team, who have already won two Rugby World Cup titles, a British & Irish Lions series, and the abbreviated version of the Castle Rugby Championship in 2019, Kolisi said: “This group has never won a full Rugby Championship title, so that’s our mission, and we know that if we don’t win the game, it would also put a dampener on Eben’s record. So, as a team, we know what we must do.”
Kolisi said the fact that this is the last time South Africa’s rugby faithful will see the team play on local soil in 2024 also inspired them going into the match.
“This is the last time we are playing in SA, so hopefully we can make everyone proud – both the fans at the game and those watching on television, so we encourage them to come out in their green and gold and sing as loud as they can.”
