Alex Coles will lean on a conversation with Siya Kolisi as he prepares to step into Maro Itoje’s boots for England against the world champion Springboks on Saturday.
Steve Borthwick’s men lock horns with the Boks in their Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park, and Coles believes their work behind the scenes is about to pay off after a disappointing Six Nations campaign.
The Northampton lock, capped three times by the time he sought out Kolisi after a Twickenham Test in 2022, wanted first-hand insight into what wearing the Bok jersey means.
The Bok skipper agreed to give Coles 30 minutes of his time, and the exchange left a lasting impression.
“It just re-emphasised to me how much [representing South Africa] means to them,” Coles told a press gathering in the Republic ahead of this weekend’s clash. “It’s a massive focus of collective and individual pride for those players.
“When you play South Africa you know they’re going to be well up for it.”
On Saturday, Coles is set to start in the second row alongside George Martin after Itoje was rested for the tour, the first time the British & Irish Lions captain has been stood down since his Test debut a decade ago. Jamie George takes over the England captaincy in his absence.
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Coles, who featured prominently during England’s series win in Argentina last year, was quick to pay tribute to the influence Itoje has had on his own development.
“Maro is an absolutely fantastic player, one of the world’s best locks,” the 26-year-old said. “I’ve been privileged to get to play alongside him, work with him and train with him. I’ve picked up and learned so much from him.
“In some respects the absence of a senior pro, an experienced player, our captain, is always going to be a factor, but it leaves an opportunity for other people to step up and to develop themselves,” Coles added.
“We saw how well we did in Argentina last summer when we had so many players on the Lions tour. Loads of people took their opportunity, stepped up and developed their own game.”
Photo: Alex Davidson/Getty Images
The post England lock takes Siya’s words to heart appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Alex Coles will lean on a conversation with Siya Kolisi as he prepares to step into Maro Itoje’s boots for England against the world champion Springboks on Saturday.
The post England lock takes Siya’s words to heart appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
