Last week, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed that a big decision would have to be made around Siya Kolisi’s captaincy for 2024, due to the fact that the World Cup icon is now playing overseas.
It has ideally been the preference of SA Rugby to have the Springboks’ captain based in South Africa in order to ease logistical planning and preparation. As Erasmus has suggested, it’s simply far easier to arrange a quick in-person meeting with a local captain, and having that possibility is held in high regard.
However, with this in mind, it has also come to light that Erasmus wants assurances from Kolisi’s French side Racing 92 that the club won’t stop the flanker from attending Springbok training camps.
If that guarantee can be offered, it may well pave the way for a captaincy exception to be made, especially considering the status Kolisi holds in the game, and how important his leadership is to the Springboks.
Bongi Mbonambi is viewed as the Springboks’ ‘unofficial’ vice-captain, especially now that Duane Vermeulen has retired, but it remains to be seen whether Mbonambi or Malcom Marx will be backed in the starting line up.
Eben Etzebeth, Handre Pollard and even someone like Deon Fourie have captained the Springboks, but there could be others – such as Lukhanyo Am – introduced to a leadership role as the coaches look to the future.
Unsurprising that Rassie Erasmus ideally doesn’t want to look beyond Kolisi as Springbok captain
When Erasmus was asked to look beyond Kolisi as to possible replacements as captain, it was no surprise that he highlighted just how he was one-of-a-kind.
“Maybe not of the quality of Siya, but there are good leaders,” he said during a press conference in Cape Town last week.
“We don’t always take it to leadership, but ownership. If you get the right people on that bus for that first squad, they don’t need as much a leader as much as all players needing to take ownership of their individual positions.
“You’ll have to look far to find a leader like Siya again. That will weigh up very heavily when we make the decision.
“We will definitely have to adjust a little bit with Duane (Vermeulen) retiring and Siya maybe not captaining. But, as I say, it would be a big call not to make him captain because there are so many things going for him that he does well,” said the coach.
“We’ll definitely have to fine-tune a little bit, but that’s why we have Jaco Peyper with us in the management group helping us with small things when we coach a player, not just on the field, but also in the lecture room about referees, protocol and the language you use when speaking to him.”
CONFIRMED BOK FIXTURES FOR 2024:
Saturday, 22 June: SA vs Wales (Twickenham, London)
Saturday, 6 July: SA vs Ireland (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Saturday, 13 July: SA vs Ireland (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
Saturday, 20 July: SA vs Portugal (Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein)
Saturday, 10 August: Australia vs SA (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
Saturday, 17 August: Australia vs SA (Optus Stadium, Perth)
Saturday, 31 August: SA vs New Zealand (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)
Saturday, 7 September: SA v New Zealand (DHL Stadium, Cape Town)
Saturday, 21 September: Argentina v SA (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein)
Saturday, 28 September: SA v Argentina (Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)
16/17 November: England v SA (Twickenham, London – date TBC)