Siya Kolisi remains central to Rassie Erasmus’ plans for the Springboks’ 2027 World Cup defence, despite the emergence of capable successors, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for the Sunday Times, Keohane argues that Kolisi’s selection is based solely on his value as a player, not sentiment or his status as captain.
While Paul de Villiers has impressed during the Nations Championship, the rookie’s rise does not signal the end of the Bok skipper’s reign.
“Kolisi and Erasmus are a combination that will continue until the end of the 2027 World Cup.”
Keohane says Erasmus’ use of 43 players across the three July Tests underlined his long-term strategy of building depth ahead of Australia 2027, with the coach searching for multiple world-class options in every position rather than replacing established stars prematurely.
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He believes Kolisi remains indispensable because of his rugby intelligence, physicality and understanding of the Test arena, while also commanding the trust of teammates, coaches and match officials.
“Kolisi is a player first, captain second and national treasure third.”
For Keohane, succession planning does not require moving on from proven excellence. Instead, Erasmus’ greatest strength has been blending experience with emerging talent, ensuring competition for places strengthens rather than weakens the world champions.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
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Siya Kolisi remains central to Rassie Erasmus’ plans for the Springboks’ 2027 World Cup defence, despite the emergence of capable successors, writes @mark_keohane
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