Victor Matfield insists Siya Kolisi still has an important role to play for the Springboks amid speculation over the captain’s future.
The former Bok lock believes Kolisi remains integral to Rassie Erasmus’ plans for the 2027 World Cup, despite the emergence of Paul de Villiers during the recent Nations Championship.
Speaking on the Rugby Rivals podcast, Matfield acknowledged that competition for places is fierce but dismissed the notion that Kolisi’s spot is under threat.
MALLETT: Siya must play well to keep Paul out
“The thing with Rassie is that everyone is under pressure,” he said. “If you don’t perform, you won’t play the next week. Doesn’t matter who you are.
“I think that’s why we see some of our senior players really performing well every week. Back in our days, there were a lot of games that weren’t maybe as big as some of the other games, and then your performance dropped a little bit, whereas with Rassie, if you don’t perform on the Saturday, you might not play again.”
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While insisting no player is guaranteed a place, Matfield expects both Kolisi and veteran lock Eben Etzebeth to feature at the next World Cup.
“We’re one year away; they mean a lot to the team. When Eben is in form, he is in a class of his own. Siya is just keeping that team together.
“We’ve seen it all over the years. There was Sean Fitzpatrick, Francois Pienaar and John Smit. A lot of them came under pressure – are they the best players in the team? But sometimes one man can make 15 guys play better.
“I think Siya is still very important for our squad.”
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Photo: Steve Haag/Getty Images
The post Matfield: Kolisi keeps team together appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Victor Matfield insists Siya Kolisi still has an important role to play for the Springboks amid speculation over the captain’s future.
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