Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani says Siya Kolisi’s experience means he can fit in wherever required, yet stopped short on if the Bok star faces Edinburgh this week.
Kolisi was ready to jump in and make his official return for the Stormers in last week’s URC season-opening win over Connacht at The Sportsground.
He left the Springbok camp ahead of South Africa’s defeat by the Wallabies on Sunday, joining up with John Dobson’s troops in Galway – even warming up with the team.
Addressing the media on Monday, Hlungwani said Kolisi asked to join the touring group as soon as he learned he would not be involved with the Boks, with the aim of getting to know the squad.
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On whether the 35-year-old could run out at Hive Stadium on Friday night, the assistant coach sidestepped with, “I think [the match-day 23] will be released on Thursday.”
Hlungwani stressed that Kolisi’s value was not only his IP, but his willingness to bond with players through his actions.
“It’s really good for the players to see that it’s not the Springbok captain, a superstar player coming to join them, but a humble player who is just like any one of them – willing to work hard, willing to belong, willing to be accepted by the team,” he said.
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“He really wants to be part of this team, and he’s used his actions to show it. You can see that in how he made that travel sacrifice – from Perth to Dubai, to Dublin, and then taking a bus to Galway.
“It just shows the type of guy that he is, and it’s something we all respect and appreciate.”
His involvement will depend on the demands of each weekend with Paul de Villiers and Deon Fourie also options at openside flanker, but Hlungwani stressed that Kolisi has the ability to play across the back row.
Fellow loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani said the group did not know Kolisi was joining them in Ireland, and described his arrival as “super cool”.
The two-time World Cup-winning skipper helped the players avoid tensing up, Dayimani added, with many players looking up to him.
“We felt the energy from the moment he walked in,” he said. “He was trying to get the chaps up, trying to bring positivity.”
Meanwhile, asked whether any other returning Boks could feature against Edinburgh, Hlungwani’s replied with: “No.”
Photo: urcofficial_rsa/Instagram
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Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani says Siya Kolisi’s experience means he can fit in wherever required, yet stopped short on if the Bok star faces Edinburgh this week.
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