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Courageous Kolisi delays surgery to lead Boks against All Blacks in Cape Town

Courageous Kolisi delays surgery to lead Boks against All Blacks in Cape Town
Scott Robertson during the 2024 Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, South Africa on 31 August 2024 @Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
Craig Ray
By Craig Ray
5 Sep 2024
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Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made seven changes, two of which are positional, to the starting XV which defeated the All Blacks 31-27 for the return clash in Cape Town.

Siya Kolisi will captain the Springboks against the All Blacks in Cape Town despite a broken nose that requires surgery.

Initial fears that the decorated Bok skipper had sustained a broken cheekbone during last week’s 31-27 win over the All Blacks at Ellis Park were alleviated.

But the skipper did sustain a broken nose when All Black flank Sam Cane smashed a shoulder into his face last week. Kolisi elected not to have an operation immediately, which would have ruled him out for about three weeks.

Instead, he has proved his fitness to play against the All Blacks in the second Rugby Championship clash between the sides at Cape Town Stadium this weekend.

Like all players in the squad coach Rassie Erasmus insisted he came through training on Monday as part of the team protocols, which the skipper did, never flinching from contact despite his obvious discomfort.

“I asked Siya on Sunday, after he went through all his scans, ‘will you be half-hearted in contact because of the injury?’” Erasmus said at his team naming in Cape Town on Thursday.

“His nose was sore, his cheekbone was swollen and blown out, and he said, ‘let’s see how it goes at training’. Internally, we named our team at 8am on Monday and he was bracketed with Marco van Staden, but on Monday he did all the contact sessions, Tuesday he went right through and today (Thursday) I can tell you, he’s ready.

Boks Rassie Bok coach Rassie Erasmus during the team announcement in Johannesburg on 27 August 2024. (Photo: © Nokwanda Zondi / BackpagePix)



“Honesty from the players about whether they can play and deliver fully on what we expect from them is a key part of our team culture, so have full faith in Siya to give everything on the field.

“The only factor would’ve been if he was hesitant in contact. It (nose) can’t break further, it has to be realigned with surgery, so right now he looks like Kwagga (Smith).”

Changes


With Kolisi retaining his place, there were minimal changes to the Bok pack, with Pieter-Steph du Toit returning to blindside flank in place of Ben-Jason Dixon, and Eben Etzebeth starting at lock.

But Erasmus rotated the backline, which was always part of a broader plan. He always has a strong idea of what his team will look like weeks in advance of a game.

Scrumhalf Grant Williams starts with Cobus Reinach out of the 23 altogether as Jaden Hendrikse comes in for his first Test match appearance since Rugby World Cup 2023 when he featured against Tonga in the pool stages.

Handrè Pollard will start at flyhalf as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu takes his turn on the bench in another tactical switch that would have been decided weeks ago.

With Kurt-Lee Arendse concussed and Makazole Mapimpi on paternity leave after his wife gave birth, wing Canan Moodie is back after a serious finger injury, having last played in the Tonga match.

Boks Kolisi Injured Siya Kolisi during the All Blacks clash at Ellis Park on 31 August 2024. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)



And Willie le Roux is preferred at fullback with Aphelele Fassi dropping out of the 23 this week. It’s another decision that had nothing to do with his form (Fassi enjoyed a superb Test in Johannesburg), but rather the team’s tactical plan for the game.

A total of 13 players in the team played in the World Cup final against the All Blacks, which the Springboks won 12-11. They are: Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Etzebeth, Kolisi, Du Toit, Pollard, Kolbe, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Ox Nche, Smith, Jasper Wiese and Le Roux.

The squad features 19 World Cup winners, with the only four players in the match 23 who did not participate in the international extravaganza being Feinberg-Mngomezulu, lock Ruan Nortjé, looseforward Elrigh Louw and prop Gerhard Steenekamp.

Traditional split


The Boks have opted for a 5-3 split between forwards and backs, which they have done twice this season – against Wales and Australia.

Le Roux’s inclusion means he closes in on  a century of Test caps with his 97th appearance, while Pollard is up for his 75th cap.

Some observers might frown at Le Roux’s inclusion over Fassi as well as Pollard’s elevation over the impressive Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The pair, though, bring tactical astuteness and the ability to control a match that is likely to be less high octane than it was at Ellis Park.

The Boks’ attack was also mediocre last week and they failed to score tries from structured backline attack. All three Bok tries started with rolling mauls.

“Willie and Handrè’s calm heads in a big Test match are needed,” Erasmus said. “What Sacha can do is special. He reminds me of Carlos Spencer…

“If our attack was not working, we also have to remember who we were playing against. It’s worked well up until last week, so defence also makes it tough on us.

Handrè Pollard and Malcolm Marx in action against New Zealand at Ellis Park on 31 August 2024. (Photo: @ Gavin Barker / BackpagePix)



“Jordie Barrett and (Rieko) Ioane also know a lot about (Bok attack coach) Tony Brown and how he sees the game, so that was part of the challenge we had.

“Sometimes there are games we want to grow our team and sometimes there are games you desperately want to win. It’s a game where we will definitely have to match their speed, and we think having three backs on the bench will help in that regard.”

ABs make four changes


All Black coach Scott Robertson has bolstered his bench after they gave up a 10-point lead in the final quarter at Ellis Park, for the Cape Town showdown.

Fullback Beauden Barrett and scrumhalf TJ Perenara drop to the bench in four changes to their starting lineup.

“It was a tough conversation, but both are great team men, they have been around a long time,” Robertson said. “The All Black jersey is important to all of us. If they have to come on and finish the job they will.

“They want to start and be out there for the majority of the match but they understand (why the decision has been made). It is two great names to have come on and finish the job for us.”

All Black coach Scott Robertson during the Rugby Championship match against South Africa at Ellis Park on 31 August 2024. (Photo: @ Gavin Barker / BackpagePix)



Tough Chiefs flank Wallace Sititi has been included in the starting lineup along with scrumhalf Cortez Ratima. Loosefoward Ethan Blackadder, who had a strong performance, is out with a hamstring injury and wing Caleb Clarke, who scored two tries at Ellis Park, misses out with a back injury.

Will Jordan shifts to fullback, Sevu Reece comes in on the right wing, with Mark Tele’a brought in on the left wing.

Flank Luke Jacobson is preferred to Samipeni Finau among the replacements as New Zealand retain a 5-3 split.

Robertson, who knows that the benches will be critical, was asked how they counter the Boks’ “bomb squad”.

“We were thinking of going with an 8-0 split, but the conversation did not last all that long,” Robertson joked. “We gave opportunities to them with 10 minutes to go through a bit of a lack of discipline; we have to be better at finishing games.”

Erasmus, asked what he knows about Sititi and Ratima, quipped: “We have analysts to build profiles on them. My job is to follow them on twitter.” DM

Teams


South Africa


15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Handrè Pollard, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche

Reserves: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Kwagga Smith, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Lukhanyo Am.

New Zealand


15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Tele’a, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams

Reserves: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Beauden Barrett.

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