Springbok skipper Siya Kolisi says while it has taken him a while to regain top form, he is happy with where his game is at the moment and looking for continued improvement.
South Africa recently claimed a thrilling 2-1 series win over the British & Irish Lions, despite losing the first of the three Tests. And it was in this series where Kolisi’s prowess came to the fore.
He was industrious for the Boks in the second Test against the B&I Lions, leading his team to an all-important series-levelling win. And from there, Kolisi has continued to deliver impressive displays in the third Test against the Lions and in the first Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in Port Elizabeth last week.
The 30-year-old had previously stated that he was one of those players who needed to play regularly to build up fitness and form and, speaking to media during a news conference on Friday, he reiterated that stance.
“I’m really happy with the amount of game time that I’ve been able to get,” Kolisi said. “I can always improve, but I’m getting there. We know I had a couple of games where I went off, but I’m proud of my performances.
“Every week is a different challenge and our main thing is consistency. By playing more, I’m hoping that I’m building up a head of steam, but [for now] I’m happy with the amount of game time and some of the games I’ve played. I just want to get better and this week is going to be a big challenge but I’m looking forward to it. And that’s the important thing: to make sure that every week you’re looking to improve.”
With the Boks’ focus now firmly on the 2021 Rugby Championship trophy, having also clinched the title in 2019 followed by the World Cup that same year and a Lions series triumph in 2021, there is an increasing belief that the current squad might be one of the most dominant Springbok teams of all time.
However, Kolisi was quick to downplay the notion that winning the Rugby Championship will solidify his squad’s legacy as the greatest Bok team ever.
“We don’t talk about those kind of stuff,” he admitted. “When each player gets selected the first time, we all say we want to leave this jersey in a better place than before we got it. We want to invest ourselves and give everything while we have the privilege of wearing the Springbok jersey.
“Of course, we want to win the Rugby Championship, we want to win every single game we play. It would be a waste if we just went into competitions to participate. The same effort and process goes into each match we play regardless of who the opposition is. So, the end goal is always to win, but we will approach the competition one game at a time and try not to thing too far ahead.”
Photo: Gallo Images
