Springboks wizard Cheslin Kolbe believes his side are in “a good place” after a stellar 2024 Test season, but still feels they are not the complete package just yet.
Rassie Erasmus’ troops have only lost two games all season, and they have won their first Rugby Championship since 2019.Springboks ‘in a good spot’ – Kolbe
Speaking to Planet Rugby following his team’s 29-20 triumph over England at Allianz Stadium, where he was voted Player of the Match, Kolbe discussed the Boks’ year and the growth of younger players through the side in 2024.
“It’s rugby, and each season is different, but as a Springbok squad and as a country, we’re doing well. “There is so much young talent emerging, and it’s a blessing to see,” he stated.
He went further: “For us, we need to make sure we’re giving our experience back to the guys getting their first cap to make them feel comfortable and go out on the field and express themselves.”
“In this team, it doesn’t matter if you have 130 caps or you’re winning your first cap, we treat everyone as equals.”
The Springboks’ culture and environment are usually regarded as among the best in the contemporary game, but they have a weirdly club-like feel about them.
Erasmus has used 50 different players for the Springboks this year, with Wilco Louw the most recent to earn a cap following his return to the team against England, and Kolbe emphasized how “special” it is to be involved in the current environment.
“This environment is special,” he told Planet Rugby. “It’s something the coaches have developed and the players have just bought into.”
He went on to say, “For us, it’s about not only doing the jersey proud, but also doing South Africa proud, because we know what this means back home. It’s always a huge honour to wear the Green and Gold shirt.”
“We’re not perfect, at all”
While he was full of admiration for his team’s current outlook, he was keen to stress out that they are far from finished.
“We’re not perfect at all,” he admitted. “There are a lot of things we need to work on, but that’s the beauty of it, you get another opportunity to be a better rugby player and a better team.”
Fortunately for Kolbe and the rest of the Springboks, they have one last chance to address those shortcomings as they prepare for their final game in 2024 against Wales next weekend at the Principality Stadium.
Read more…https://sportupdates.co.uk/
Leave a Reply