Siya Kolisi brings calmness to Springboks' attacking breakdown when chaos wants to prevail
They normally go nuts when they see people breaking their spaghetti to 'fit' into a pot before cooking it. For Italians, it's sacrilege to break the pasta, use too much garlic or add ketchup to a dish.
They are the experts when it comes to creating great pasta and pizza dishes. They view the rest of the world's Italian cooking as pure chaos.
The Springboks feel the same way about the set-pieces and the breakdown in rugby. They are the masters of the physical elements of the game and the rest of the world, well, puts ketchup in their bolognese sauce.
But on Saturday we saw a second-string Italian team go head-to-head with the Bok team in the physical stakes in the first Test at Loftus Versfeld, where they were outstanding in disrupting the home side's flow.
They caused a lot of chaos at the breakdown when the Springboks were on attack, going really low in the tackle before slowing the ball down with some counter-rucking and street-smart rolling away. This led to the Boks having to commit more players into the rucks, because their cleanouts were rather ineffective.
Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg even had to try and protect the ball against the Italian stealers at some points in the game, which also didn't help with some of his clearing off the base.
It was clear the Springboks wanted to up the tempo, but the Italians stuck to their task and kept the Boks from really hitting their stride and blowing them away on the day.
But the Boks actually have a player sort out their attacking breakdown problems. But it seems like we're not going to see him anytime soon.
This week, for the second Test in Gqeberha, the Springboks will still be without their head chef when it comes to their attacking breakdown. The player who knows how to counter the dark arts and brings the parmesan cheese to make sure the Bok backs are served up a feast.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad loading
Captain Siya Kolisi is still missing from the Springboks matchday line-up after missing the Springboks' first two matches against the Barbarians and Italy with a neck issue and an Achilles niggle.
As an openside, many people still rate Kolisi on the amount of steals he makes at the breakdown when the opposition has the ball. But Kolisi doesn't really play as a true opensider, but rather as a hybrid loosie, who can fulfil various roles.
The Springboks have plenty of players who can steal the ball at the breakdown, such as forwards Malcolm Marx, Jasper Wiese and centre Damian de Allende. But it's clear on Saturday that they needed someone who can look after the ball.
Kolisi's true value is actually protecting the Boks' ball on attack, by hitting multiple rucks when the South Africans are in possession. Over the last few years he has been used as a ball-carrier in the wide channels, but, as a No 6, making sure the Boks get clean, quick ball is his primary job.
The Springboks definitely missed his influence against Italy. The breakdown was total chaos and the Boks didn't seem to know how to respond to Italy flooding that area to slow down or steal their ball.
But Kolisi, whenever he gets back on the park, is going to bring that calmness and accuracy, which should allow the Bok team to create the platform for their dangerous outside backs to prosper.
For now, though, a player such as openersider Marco van Staden needs to fill Kolisi's void and try and prevent the Italians from causing more chaos in the Bay this weekend.
@JohnGoliath82
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Boks aim to end All Blacks' 31-year unbeaten run at Eden Park fortress
Siya Kolisi says the SA team's goals at the Auckland venue are more important than him reaching 100 Test caps this season. Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said the team's success, and beating New Zealand at Eden Park, are more important than him reaching 100 Test caps. Picture:Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says ending New Zealand's 31-year winning streak at Eden Park is one of the top priorities for the national side this year. The All Blacks have not lost to a visiting team at the Auckland venue since 1994, when France snatched a 23–20 victory thanks to a late try by Jean-Luc Sadourny, which was called the 'try from the end of the world'. New Zealand recorded their 50th consecutive win at the venue in August last year. Boks on 15 wins out of 17 The top-ranked Springboks are likewise in a good space. They've won all four matches so far this season, fielding 47 new players, and were victorious in 11 of their 13 games last season. They will take on the All Blacks at Eden Park in their first Rugby Championship encounter on 6 September. In discussing his goals for the rest of the year, Kolisi said a win at the venue would be crucial to remaining the number one team in the world, which was his main goal. 'We would have to win in Auckland to be number one. It would be great if we could be number one and win all our games, with players also getting opportunities along the way.' Kolisi has 93 Test caps after the Springboks' 55–10 win over Georgia in Mbombela at the weekend. It is possible for him to reach 100 caps by the end of the season. But when asked about this, he said he would rather see the team succeed. 'If the team can get all the goals, that is most important,' he said. Kolisi: Team success is more important than a personal milestone The skipper added: 'I am trying not to think of it to be honest. It's obviously a huge honour to play 100 games. But I don't want to think so far ahead. It could happen this year. It could happen next year. Either way, I am just grateful that I can just play again.' The Bok captain said it was more important to see growth in his personal game, as well as in the squad. 'We are going to be judged on the standards that the guys have set last week. It doesn't matter what the opposition does. If I am going to clean, how am I cleaning? Yes we can win the ball back but how did I clean? What was my intention in that clean? 'More importantly, just us getting better and delivering on the things that coach is speaking about.'
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
30 days to go: Johannes-Haupt confident Bok Women can put on good show in hometown against Black Ferns
Springbok Women's assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt will focus heavily on the breakdown with the forwards this week. Picture: SA Rugby Image: SA Rugby Laurian Johannes-Haupt feels when she faced up to the mighty Black Ferns haka at the Women's Rugby World Cup back in 2010, the women's game was virtually unrecognisable from the high-impact professional sport it has now transformed into. The Springbok Women's assistant coach is the embodiment of the change within the game after the 40-year-old swapped her classroom at Athlone High School in Cape Town for a Bok tracksuit on a fulltime basis at the beginning of the year. Johannes-Haupt can now focus all her energies on preparing the Boks for their all-important clash against the Black Ferns XI in her hometown when the traditional rivals meet at the historic Athlone Stadium on Saturday. 'We played them in the 2010 World Cup and from where the game has gone to, there's been massive, massive improvements,' Johannes-Haupt said, on the sidelines of the Boks training at UCT on Monday. 'The game has evolved so much. The Black Ferns come with a special skill set. Their skill set is really unmatched. They play from all over the park. They have a good set piece as well. We're in for quite a good game and I think we're going to give them a good show.' The @WomenBoks working hard at UCT ahead of their match against the @BlackFerns XV at Athlone Stadium on Saturday. @IOL @IOLsport — Zaahier Adams (@ZaahierAdams) July 21, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The Black Ferns are six-times world champions and will be one of the favourites to raise the trophy a seventh time when the Women's Rugby World Cup gets underway in exactly 30 days in England next month. The Kiwis have therefore sent a second-string squad to face the 12th ranked Boks. Johannes-Haupt feels this is no less a challenge with plenty of the Black Ferns squad in Cape Town boasting Test-match experience. 'It's not the regular players, but there are quite a few capped Black Ferns in their team, as well as a few Sevens players of the Black Ferns,' she said. 'We're preparing for a proper physical encounter because we've watched their previous games, we know what to expect and we're just going to do what we need to do for the game to be successful.' The Bok Women have been preparing steadily themselves for WRWC25 with two hard-fought Test matches against No 2 ranked Canada leading up to the clashes with the Black Ferns. Springbok Women lock Vainah Ubisi is fit and firing again after an injury layoff. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix The home team showed significant improvement in the second Test, especially at the breakdown where they stalled the momentum of the Canadians. 'We definitely want to get better at the breakdown. The first game against Canada, we weren't that good at the breakdown,' Johannes-Haupt said. 'Second one, we came out sharper and now we just want to carry on with that trend going into the Black Ferns game. 'Our transitional play could also be better and that's what we're going in for. We want to transition better and want to play a more attacking brand of and finishing it. 'We definitely want to give it our best showing and want to take our good positives going into the World Cup because it's all part of the prep for the ultimate goal, the World Cup.' The Boks' chances have been boosted with the return of influential lock Vainah Ubisi, who was nominated for SA Rugby Women's Player of the Year last year, after her recovery from a serious knee injury. Johannes-Haupt feels Ubisi's contagious positive spirit has also rubbed off on the rest of the squad. 'She (Ubisi) was beaming. Beaming with excitement just to be able to be back on the park,' she said. 'Firstly, she's been waiting a long time to get back and she's been doing well. It's good to see her back in form and there's still a road ahead of her, but she's good to go. 'It's always special to have our younger ones back. She's like 23 years old. She's built a lot of experience from the WXV to where she is now, so to transition her back into the game is just special and everybody just loves having everyone around, so it's good vibes all the way.'
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs news: Winger, number 10 and fixtures
As reported in June, Kaizer Chiefs believed they had secured both players as free agents. However, Cape Town Spurs are adamant the duo is still under contract and have demanded their return to training. Following Spurs' dramatic relegation from the Motsepe Foundation Championship (second tier) to the ABC Motsepe (third tier), Kaizer Chiefs followed the PSL's rulebook, which states that relegation to the third tier makes player contracts null and void. However, Spurs maintain that professional contracts still apply, leading to the current standoff over the talented winger and attacking midfielder. Amakhosi news: Expensive kit price and African striker Asanele Velebayi and Luke Baartman in action for Cape Town Spurs at the Athlone Stadium. Image: FARPost Amakhosi's Head of Marketing, Jessica Motaung, faced the media during the launch of the new home and away kits for the 2025/26 season. 'I think what's important is that we are in the business of doing things in a way that's not going to interfere with other clubs,' said Motaung… Full story here. 'Kaizer Chiefs bigger than Bafana' says Italian brand boss Under the guidance of head coach Nasreddine Nabi, Kaizer Chiefs have another opportunity to reclaim the glory days after a frustrating and inconsistent previous season. Early momentum will be crucial for a team under pressure to deliver. The first five fixtures offer a mixture of tough away days and key home opportunities. How well Kaizer Chiefs handle this opening stretch could set the tone for the rest of their campaign. Here's a closer look at Kaizer Chiefs' first five fixtures of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season…Full story here. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
