Kolisi and Co on brink of World Cup, Lions series ‘double’

This is it – one match to ensure hero status for the rest of their lives.

Winning the World Cup is one thing – and already a massive achievement – but doing the “double” by also winning the series against the British and Irish Lions will forever turn many of the rugby stars in the Springbok squad into heroes for a lifetime.

Only a handful of South Africans – the class of 2007 and 2009 – can boast doing the “double”, but now Siya Kolisi and his charges have an opportunity to do the same – and achieve something not too many would have thought possible a few months ago when Covid-19 hit the world.

But after many challenges, and plenty of niggle, harsh words spoken and big tackles made, the Boks and Lions go into today’s third and final Test against each other at the Cape Town Stadium locked at 1-1 in the series.

It is now all to play for after the Lions won the controversial first Test 22-17, and the Boks the second Test 27-9 last weekend.

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Kolisi made it clear on Friday what the remaining 80 minutes mean to him and his team.

“This Test is everything to us. This is the one that counts, the one that matters the most,” he said.

“We worked hard to get here, after everything that has happened, and after losing the first Test, and for many of us there won’t be another chance (against the Lions). This is our final.”

Bok coach Jacques Nienaber this week spoke about how the team’s World Cup journey in Japan two years ago may give them the edge on Saturday and on Friday Kolisi also said there was a similar feeling in the team as there was in late 2019.

“There is a similarity, but at the same time it’s different,” he said.

“This won’t happen again for many of us; it’s our only opportunity… and that’s the mentality we’re taking into the game. We’re excited and we’re ready.”

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The Boks go into the decider with many observers critical of their style of rugby. Some have called it boring, while others have eluded to the niggle with which they play, but Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said nothing will change about the way South Africans play Test rugby – and certainly not this week.

“It doesn’t matter who the Lions have picked, or who says what, we’re going to play the same way we always do; and everyone knows how we play,” said Kolisi. “Nothing is going to change; it works for us. We’re South Africa, it’s how we win.”

Stick added: “If the Lions want to play touch rugby, that would be nice for us, but we are not going to decide what they must do, and they’re not going to tell us how to play our game.”

Expect another action-packed encounter. Kick-off is 6pm.