Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and Irish-born assistant coach Felix Jones emphasize the need for excellence against Ireland.
As the South African Rugby team prepares to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, both Kolisi and Jones acknowledged the challenges ahead. Ireland has secured victories in two out of their last three encounters dating back to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, and South Africa hasn’t triumphed in Dublin since 2012.
With the match set to kick off at 19:40 and broadcast live on SuperSport, the Springboks will look to extend their winning streak during the November tour to four games.
“They’re a very good team, and that's the reason we’ve struggled to win here for so many years,” said Kolisi. “It will all be about taking our opportunities this weekend because we’ve lost with small margins against them at times. We’ve learned a lot from those games, and this is a very important match, so we must be at our best.”
Jones echoed Kolisi's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of Ireland’s well-established coaching structures contributing to their past successes. “This team is extremely well coached, and there are players whose hard work has accelerated that success,” Jones noted.
Reflecting on his Irish heritage as part of the management team, Jones remarked, “It’s a little different for us, but we’re treating this match as any other Test for the Boks.”
Discussing Ireland's rugby success, Jones credited the country’s strong developmental systems. “They’ve consistently been in the top three in the world, thanks to the structures they've developed over the decades.”
Additionally, Springbok lock RG Snyman is set to reach a career milestone of 50 Test caps from the bench, a feat Kolisi praised. “I’m very happy for him. He could have given up at any time during his injury struggles. He’s one of the most talented guys in the group, and we hope to make it special for him.”
Kolisi also spoke passionately about the recent declaration by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide being a national crisis. “It’s great that it’s finally being acknowledged. However, there needs to be a plan behind it. Many organizations in SA are doing work in this space, and from my foundation, there’s still so much to be done.”
“Growing up in a community where these issues were prevalent, I now have a platform and resources to make a difference,” he stated.
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