Kolbe shines through storm to power Boks to dominant win
Kolbe, 31, showed that his desire to make an impression in the Bok jersey remains undiminished.
To be fair, that attitude permeated the Boks ranks with several players putting shoulder to the wheel in the kind of match often dismissed for its frivolity.
After a two-year absence lock Lood de Jager made an impressive return to the Bok fold. He tirelessly toiled for 70 minutes before being withdrawn from the action. Jean-Luc du Preez, another Bok absentee in the last few seasons, also showed his worth in the No.8 jersey. He however left the field injured just before the break.
Flank Vincent Tshituka went through a huge workload and would have been well satisfied with his effort.
Like Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse also sparked when opportunity presented.
It was the need to impress before the two-Test series against Italy that drove the Boks. In the second half in particular they played with greater hunger and urgency, displaying also the willingness to go the extra mile.
Centre Andre Esterhuizen certainly fell into that category when he was deployed as a loose forward when he came on as a second-half substitute.
Hashtags
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
Rassie on new Bok captain: 'Jesse sets a great example for everybody':
Jesse Kriel will become the 67th official captain of the Springboks when he leads the team out to face Italy at Loftus on Saturday. Jesse Kriel captained the Springboks in the non-Test against the Barbarians, and now officially becomes their 67th captain when he leads them again against Italy at Loftus on Saturday. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images Coach Rassie Erasmus gave Jesse Kriel a ringing endorsement with him set to become the 67th official captain of the Springboks when the current world champions take on Italy in the first of two Tests at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Kriel led the Boks for the first time in their non-Test season opener against the Barbarians in Cape Town last weekend, after he took over the reins from regular captain Siya Kolisi, who was a late withdrawal from the game with a stiff neck. With Kolisi unavailable once again, this time due to an Achilles niggle, Kriel has been given the go ahead to lead again, even though Eben Etzebeth has returned to the side. 'We don't want to just hand out the captaincy. We want to give it to people who deserve it. The ones we do give it to, it's so they understand what the captain needs when they are not captain,' explained Erasmus about the decision. 'We know what we get out of Eben, he probably won't go for 80 minutes. Not that Eben can't go for 80, but we'll probably make a sub there between him and Lood, and we want to keep the captain on the field. 'There is some nice continuity with Jesse. He has always been a good leader and did well to control the game (against the Barbarians) in that rain with the other senior players in the team. So it's nice for him to be captain in a Test match and not just a Barbarian game.' Kriel qualities Erasmus expanded on the good qualities of Kriel, who has been in the Bok setup since 2013, with him going through ups and downs as he was originally a first choice starter, before slipping out of favour with the rise of Lukhanyo Am, before fighting back to become first choice again in the past few years. 'Jesse is not one of the young guys in the team, but he is probably one of the fittest. He is one of the biggest students of the game, he is the guy who can always play 80 minutes, and can play 13 or wing,' said Erasmus. 'He has always been the defensive captain when he has played. And I think he has developed his attacking game, where he was maybe a little bit straightforward in the beginning. I think he has the grubber now, he's got the passing, he's got the hands, he's got the offload. 'He is doing it at the highest level. So I think he sets a great example for everybody, for us as coaches, and for the rest of the team. 'Being a captain on the day is an honour, and the way he communicates with the referees is brilliant. There are so many other guys that we could've picked, but Jesse is an absolute student of the game.'
The Herald
an hour ago
- The Herald
Proteas beat Zimbabwe with dominant display that highlights their depth
First innings centurion Sean Williams made a streaky 26 before miscuing an attempted pull with a leading edge that gave Kyle Verreynne an easy catch behind. Yusuf replaced Bosch at the Airport End and also had success with his first delivery, finding the outside edge of replacement opener Prince Masvaure's bat, giving Wiaan Mulder a comfortable catch at second slip. Two more quick wickets followed for Yusuf; Wesley Madvehere gave Verreynne another simple catch, with a thin edge to a lovely delivery that angled into the right-hander and straightened off the pitch, while Tafadzwa Tsiga played an awful shot to give Bosch an easy catch at fourth slip. The Proteas were eyeing a lunchtime finish, but a lively seventh-wicket partnership between Zimbabwean captain Craig Ervine and Wellington Masakadza delayed the inevitable. The pair added 83 runs, with Masakadza reaching a maiden Test fifty shortly before lunch. But any hopes the hosts had of extending the play to another session disappeared in the third over after lunch when De Zorzi took a spectacular one-handed catch, diving to his left at short leg, to dismiss Ervine for 49, giving Bosch his fourth wicket.
The Herald
an hour ago
- The Herald
Good day for EP at U13 Craven Week
The Eastern Cape teams produced mixed results on the second day of the U13 Craven Week rugby tournament, with Eastern Province's main team providing the highlight for the host province, comfortably beating the Valke 40-17 at Selborne College on Tuesday. The other leading team of the region, Border Central, put up a courageous performance in front of their home crowd but were narrowly defeated 27-20 by Griquas. Eighthman Aqhama Macembe and centre Bulelani Norman were the standouts in the EP victory over the Valke with their braces of tries. EP started the game well with tries from tight-head prop Musa Mdongwana from Kabega Primary and Sunridge Primary f ullback Janko Havenga to be 12-0 ahead after just 10 minutes. But EP struggled with discipline, with some of their players spending time in the sin bin. Noah Tshineva dotted down a converted try for the Valke, but Woodridge College eighthman Macembe stretched EP's advantage with two consecutive seven-pointers to give EP a 26-7 lead at halftime. Rossouw Nieuwoudt reduced the score with a penalty before Siyabonga Mtshwene powered over for a converted try to make it 26-17 to the Valke. Grey Junior pupil Norman erased any hopes of a Valke comeback as he dotted down twice for EP at the end. In the Border Central game, captain Esona Nqayana shone for his side in scoring twice, but it was not enough to win the game. For their first try, Border's forwards showed innovation with a tap-and-go at the edge of the field to set up a mid-maul inside the Griquas five-metre line, from where Queen's eighthman Nqayana scored. Border then pulled off some razzle-dazzle inside their own half, which Lilyfontein's Tyler Lendingham finished off for a converted try. Griquas showed as well that their forwards were capable of matching Border's as they opened their account through Joshua Basson. Nqayana powered his way over for his brace and extended Border's lead to 17-5. The hosts had a lapse in concentration close to halftime and allowed Angus Hattingh and Braydon Matshoba to cross the line to give the Kimberley boys a 19-17 advantage at the break. Matshoba slotted a 40m penalty at the start of the second stanza for the Griquas, but Border's Motheo Mabe also added three points from the tee. Centre Jacobus Prinsloo then put the game to bed for Griquas to hand Border their second loss of the event. EP B got their second win of the competition, beating Namibia 17-12. The tries came from Kabega Primary centre Clivian Buys (2) and Clarendon Primary prop Nathan van der Merwe. Border B could not repeat their heroics from opening day as they were beaten 20-0 by the Golden Lions B. Border Country Districts were beaten 81-0 by the Limpopo Blue Bulls in the opening match of the day. In that match, Phetelo Mokwena scored five tries and his centre partner, Esihle Tshicila, added four. Title contenders the Sharks beat SWD 6-0 in the main game of the day. Other results on day 2: Free State B 7 Valke B 14, SWD B 17 Griffons B 5, Zimbabwe 0 Griquas B 17, Leopards B 5 Pumas B 17, Blue Bulls 5 Leopards 7, Golden Lions C 5 Western Province B 59, Boland 17 Griffons 15, Blue Bulls B 35 Limpopo Blue Bulls 0, Golden Lions 5 Pumas 27, Western Province 27 Free State 12, Boland B 34 Sharks B 7 Daily Dispatch
