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Siya Kolisi: What 'other countries don’t understand' about South Africa

South Africa's flanker and captain Siya Kolisi gestures while speaking during the Springboks Champions trophy tour at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on November 2, 2023, after South Africa won the France 2023 Rugby World Cup final match against New Zealand. (Photo by GUILLEM SARTORIO / AFP) (Photo by GUILLEM SARTORIO/AFP via Getty Images)

Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks captain Siya Kolisi insists that the hardships faced by citizens of South Africa are what sets them apart as a nation.

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What’s more, Kolisi believes that ‘diversity’ is South Africa’s greatest strength.

Kolisi was speaking upon return to South African soil following on from the Boks’ victorious World Cup campaign in France. South Africa edged arch-rivals New Zealand 12-11 to achieve a record fourth World Cup title and their second in a row in a gripping Final last Saturday in Paris.

The popular captain was given the opportunity to address both the nation and President Cyril Ramaphosa. The Racing 92 flanker thanked the President and his cabinet and “most importantly” the people of South Africa for their support.

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“We chose to dedicate this World Cup to you, the people, because we are where we are today because of you,” the Bok skipper said in his public address. “The other countries don’t understand. You have to be a South African to understand the hardships you go through in this country.

“We are very diverse [as a team],” he said, adding: “Diversity is our strength in South Africa.

“I want to encourage [you] Mister President and the cabinet, we need to use our diversity a bit more.

“It is a powerful force that a lot of countries don’t have, that we can use.

“Coming from different backgrounds and different areas, we see life differently.

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“The more we share towards South Africa, the more we put South Africa first and work for South Africa.

“Everything I do is focused on that and that is what we did as a group of players.

“You can use that in the country.”

https://x.com/Newzroom405/status/1719979770123800595

It is hoped that the Springboks win can help galvanise a country that suffers from power outages, political unrest, poverty and high levels of both violent crime and sexual assaults.

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Comments

27 Comments
R
R 383 days ago

Same old speech since 1995.
Congrats on the win.
It'll take a lot more than rugby to sort out the issues of SA.

R
Rassie 383 days ago

Wow. Why can’t he just enjoy the win without embarrassing himself?

It’s like the drunk at the party boring you to death because “you don’t know what it’s like for us”

Yeah great. Thanks. Now please stop dribbling on me and go bore someone else.

U
Utiku Old Boy 384 days ago

Diversity is hardly uniquely South African - nor is hardship. PR spin.

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JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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