We still need to do so much to help, says 'humble' Siya Kolisi

It's a coincidence that Springbok rugby captain Siyamthanda Kolisi was born on June 16. The World Cup-winning captain chuckles at how the momentous day allows him to celebrate quietly.

"It's a huge day by itself," he says.

"Yho, that day is important. It comes and takes the shine off my birthday. I'm actually very cool with that. I don't have to worry about parties."

Zoom interviews have robbed conversations of a personal touch and warmth, but Kolisi still exudes that during an engagement that makes him one of the most approachable and likeable captains in Test rugby.

In 2018, Kolisi was appointed the 61st Springbok captain, and his first Test as skipper was the 42-39 win against England at Ellis Park on June 9 that year.

That match was Rassie Erasmus's second as coach. The Springboks were 24-3 down after 19 minutes before the mother of all fightbacks not only floored Eddie Jones's England team but established a subtle psychological barrier England could not overcome against SA in the big moment on November 2 last year in Yokohama.

The 2018 game, and also the second Test in Bloemfontein - on his birthday the following week when the Boks clawed back from a 12-0 deficit to win 23-12 - to clinch the series, was a revelation. The Tests showed how Kolisi had an ability to keep himself, and those around him, humble, calm and clear-minded under pressure. It's a quality he exudes off the field too.

Normal human being

UGqwashu - that's his clan name - makes a point of shaking hands and greeting journalists at press engagements. It's something he did even before he was made captain.

That humility is something he and his dynamic wife, Rachel, impart to five-year-old Nicholas and three-year-old Keziah.

Covid-19 has robbed people of lives, salaries and a whole lot more, but it gave the devoted Kolisi an opportunity to be a normal human being and a father who spent time with his family while teaching them about SA's rampant inequalities.

Kolisi and his wife are co-founders of the Kolisi Foundation that was established in March, just when the pandemic took a grip.

I can't be thinking just about myself, but also to teach my kids that there are bigger things in the world

—  Siya Kolisi

According to the foundation's website, it is shaped around food security, leadership and mentorship, skills development and job shadowing, education and youth development, sport development and defeating gender-based violence.

"What Covid-19 did was to amplify our country's inequalities. In 2020 there are people who don't have water. That shocked me. I just don't understand how that is possible. As people who are in a place of privilege, we still need to do so much to help. It's given me the impetus of not only needing to do more, as I can't be thinking just about myself, but also to teach my kids that there are bigger things in the world, like being financially secure," Kolisi said.

Make a difference

"The family time I've had has been the best, and I think the longest I've had since I've played rugby. I've really been happy to be able to teach my son how to ride a bicycle for the first time as I've missed so many milestones in my kids' lives. I'm glad that I've been able to be here for them to see how they grow each day. It's reminded me how important it is to be with them and to teach them the work we do when we're not at home as there are so many sides of SA they can't see. They need to be exposed to them and should be able to make a difference."

Kolisi grew up in Zwide, Port Elizabeth, and went to Emsengeni Primary School and Grey Junior and Grey High School.

He was raised by his grandmother and his talent was nurtured by Eric Songwiqi before he was picked up by Grey Junior.

From there his star rose as he was picked for the junior teams of Eastern Province, then for Western Province and SA.

He's played 50 Tests, but an injury in the Stormers' first Super Rugby game of the season on February 1 meant he was out for the rest of that curtailed competition. He was back again yesterday at the Loftus Versfeld Super Fan competition.

A lazy, reckless and late tackle on Kolisi by Hurricanes hooker Ricky Riccitelli in a Super Rugby match caused his knee injury in February, cutting short his match. He had not played again until yesterday. His last full match before yesterday was that golden November 2 night in Yokohama.

The Springboks beat England 32-12 to claim their third Webb Ellis Cup, with Kolisi being the first black captain to lift rugby's holy grail.

Kolbe joins too

That opened the door for him to be signed by Roc Nation Sports as the first SA athlete to be picked by hip-hop legend Jay-Z's sports agency.

Kolisi's Springbok teammate Cheslin Kolbe, who scored the magical second try in the Rugby World Cup final, was also signed by Roc Nation.

The SA pair are the only rugby players on Roc Nation's player roster, which includes basketballers Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, and footballers Marcus Rashford from Manchester United, Kevin de Bruyne from Manchester City and Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku.

That's some celestial sporting company Kolisi is keeping. It is something that excites him while he also understands the global access and reach of being part of a Jay-Z-linked company.

"They saw me play at the World Cup. I think the way I spoke and my life story seemed to have gone down well with them. They felt I stood for the same values as they did and it was exciting for me.

"If you look at what the owners of that brand have done and the adversity they have faced, they are strong people. The calibre of people I speak to because of being in that group is mind-blowing, yet humbling," Kolisi said.

"One of the things I want to do is to bring a lot of the people from that side to SA because my heart is here and I want to make sure South Africans benefit from everything I do and the connections I make.

"Roc Nation's president, Michael Yormark, has fallen in love with SA and it's tough for him not to come here because he used to come every second week. I really want people to experience the things they do for me because a lot of athletes deserve it. Signing with Roc Nation has changed my life."

One of the things I want to do is to bring a lot of the people from that side to SA because my heart is here and I want to make sure South Africans benefit from everything I do and the connections I make

—  Siya Kolisi

When asked about the Rugby World Cup final, Kolisi remains as measured as he was on that Saturday at the coin toss when he imposed himself physically and emotionally on his England counterpart, the England captain Owen Farrell. Kolisi made the England flyhalf look visibly frazzled.

Athletes call it "being in the zone", but for Kolisi, it was about being chilled and rational for what lay ahead: his biggest rugby moment.

That demeanour, which left Farrell spooked, was widely dissected after the game. It was said to have been one of the turning points of the final - even before kick-off.

Kolisi made his Springbok debut in 2013 against Scotland.

The flanker came off the reserves bench and went on to win the man of the match award.

Grew into the role

He did not start in any of the subsequent 13 Test matches under coach Heyneke Meyer.

When he jogged onto the field in the fourth minute at Nelspruit to replace Arno Botha, who injured a knee, Kolisi showed up and, to an extent, showed off the physicality and the deft skills that are associated with his rugby.

His leadership skills then had not come to the fore, but as he grew into his senior role from 2016 he revealed a coolness under pressure.

"I was chilled," he said of last year's World Cup final. "We'd prepared well and there wasn't much we could do. We just needed to get on the field and play. I felt very confident with the guys around me and we really wanted it. I just needed to work as hard as I could and that's what we did as a team. We knew the country needed it more than anything, more than any other country."

During the final minutes of that historic win at Yokohama, Kolbe's try demolished any hopes that England might have harboured of a comeback. That was when Kolisi knew for certain that the Boks had triumphed.

"When Cheslin scored, I felt that was the moment, but the big momentum shift was when we defended on our tryline for 23 phases and they didn't score. I think it was at that point where . we'd got the game mentally."

The World Cup success and the commercial harvest it has brought Kolisi have not gone to his head. With Rachel by his side, the future philanthropist was more than happy to return to a normal life after the World Cup.

The Kolisis' foundation has already set him on the philanthropy path when he eventually hangs up his boots - not that he's keen to do so soon.

Back to the successful World Cup conquest, the Springboks left SA at the end of August last year and came back in November with the coveted World Cup that they paraded to ecstatic fans around the country for a week before going to their homes and families.

Buys bread and milk

Kolisi loved that unco-ordinated madness, but also missed the sanctity of his home and his daily chores.

"I still do go out and buy bread and milk. When I was in Japan, my family were there with me and we did the same thing. I loved it, and my wife, who keeps me in check and humble, was there. You don't have to change yourself and that's what gets you to where you are without changing who you are.

"It's different now because people freak out when they see you. At one petrol station where I was travelling with the Stormers team on our way to camp, the place got packed very quickly," Kolisi said.

"It was tough. Everywhere we went, we were greeted by people everywhere and we had to have the same feeling we had in Japan. We loved that bus tour and we gave it absolutely everything. It was a commitment we made to our people and we needed to see it through. I loved it and I hope the people did the same."