Rassie Erasmus balancing heart and mind when it comes to Siya Kolisi, Springbok captaincy

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus is a deeply emotional man who wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to the Springboks and South Africa.

But he also knows when to put those emotions aside and hardly makes decisions based on sentiment when it comes to the Boks. Somehow he has mastered the art of knowing when to separate the brain from the heart.

However, there was an occasion last year when his heart and his brain worked together in perfect harmony.

Just before the start of the Springboks’ two-Test series against Ireland, Erasmus was asked about the team’s captaincy following speculation around Siya Kolisi’s future as captain of the Boks after Erasmus has said that he prefers his captain playing in South Africa after Kolisi had moved to France after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

At the time, the flanker was also being criticised by Racing 92 boss Jacky Lorenzetti, for “excessive weight, losing shape” and being “transparent” in their Top 14 playoff defeat against Bordeaux.

However, Erasmus made no bones about the fact that he disagreed with Lorenzetti … and came out to bat for his captain. “Siya will be captain. Siya will wear the No 6 jersey. Siya has no injury. Siya is not fat. And, Siya is not transparent.”

It was a passionate, but firm backing of his captain by Erasmus, who again came out this past week saying Kolisi, who will be 34 in June, will continue to lead the Boks this year if he keeps up his fitness and form.

Kolisi had an outstanding 2024 season after Erasmus’ backing, and his leadership and his performance remain crucial to the Boks, even after leading the team to back to back Rugby World Cup titles. Erasmus called Kolisi an icon of South African rugby, and he definitely has the legacy to back up that statement.

Kolisi has grown so much since 2018 when he was first appointed the Bok captain. Since then he has become a de facto second president of the country, a guy who inspires millions of people with his journey from extreme poverty and hunger to global rugby superstar.

Kolisi’s on-field impact remains undeniable despite suffering critique for not being a traditional "fetcher" in the Bok No 6. His physicality, work rate, carries in the wide channels and ability to secure the ball at the breakdown on attack remain unmatched.

In 2024, Kolisi started 10 of the Springboks’ 13 Tests, contributing to an 11-2 win record. But he isn’t getting any younger and he is unlikely to play that amount of matches in 2025, as Erasmus is set to give more players a chance to play.

Kolisi is marching towards the end of his illustrious career, but has made his intentions clear that he remains committed to fight for a place in the 2027 Rugby World Cup squad. This resolve, paired with his good form and Erasmus’ backing suggests Kolisi could defy age-related skepticism and lead the Boks in Australia as they go in search of an unprecedented “three-peat”.

In his heart and in his mind Erasmus knows that the Springboks have the best chance of winning a fifth World Cup with a fit and firing Kolisi. But even so, on his past achievements alone, Kolisi should be one of the first men on that plane Down Under.

@JohnGoliath82