South Africa skipper Kolisi hails 'special coach' Nienaber

Only a handful in world rugby can rival Siya Kolisi's stature as a player and his renown: the first Black man to captain the South Africa national rugby union team in its 126-year history and the third after François Pienaar and John Smit to lead the side to the World Cup.

Next Saturday evening at the Stade de France, Kolisi will have the chance to emulate the New Zealander Richie McCaw as the only player to skipper back-to-back World Cup-winning sides.

McCaw's compatriots will attempt to stop Kolisi and his teammates who reached the showdown following a nerve-shredding 16-15 victory over England in the semi-final on Saturday night at the Stade de France.

That success - six days after beating hosts France 29-28 at the same venue - confirmed South Africa as the world's top ranked team.

Sporting director Rassie Erasmus and head coach Jacques Nienaber have orchestrated the return not only to the top of the listings for the first time since July 2022 but to the final itself.

Less than an hour after the end of a pulsating contest, Kolisi paid tribute to the coaches he has known since his late teens when he was learning his craft at Western Province's academy.

"When they came, it was normally the full contact day," he recalled. "You have to show who you are. And I remember every time they came, it was intense and I got to know coach Nienaber.

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"And then as I went on, he became my senior coach. And one thing that I love about him is that he goes far deeper than what's happening on the field.

"He got to know me. He got to know my family. He got to know my reasons why I do what I do."

Kolisi, whose mother died when he was 15, added: "They don't encourage us about tackle hard and all of that. We all know what that is. He goes on about who am I playing for? What's driving us? And he knows my family. He knows my kids. He knows them by name. And he asks me how am I doing as a person?

"And that is why I can go and give everything for him on the field because he cares about the person.

"He cares about Siya. The Siya from the township. He tries and brings him out of me every time I play."

Kolisi's tribute amid the weapons-grade testosterone was a still moment of heartfelt emotion for a coach who will leave South Africa after the World Cup to take up the head coach post at Leinster.

"On our journey, it's so special to be known as a person, not just as an object or just as a rugby player.

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"And that's what he brings to this team and the fact that he allows families to be around how much he loves it, to see our kids running around. I've enjoyed every single year that I've worked with him and the tough times too.

"When he comes and calls me out: 'Why didn't you work there?' It's always honest. I can't explain how much I've enjoyed it.

 "I know wherever he goes, they're going to be lucky to have him because of  the amount of work he puts in and the detail he gets into it makes life so much easier.

"He's a special coach and he's a special human being most of all, an amazing father and a great husband.

"So yeah, we'll miss him. And I'll always, forever be thankful because I remember when I first met him I couldn't tackle.

"After that year, I had to learn how to tackle."