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Springbok winger’s generous act puts him up there with Sonny Bill Williams
By Grant Constable
It was a birthday like no other, as Cheslin Kolbe turned 30 on the day of the 2023 Rugby World Cup final. And what a day, and night, it was.
In fact, the tournament win and birthday celebrations have continued, as South Africa retaining the Webb Ellis Cup will have been the best gift anybody could ever ask for.
Kolbe's night wasn’t all plain sailing though, as a tight and tense match ended with him off the field after having been yellow carded for what was deemed a deliberate knock-on as New Zealand launched another desperate attack in a bid to get ahead for the first time in the match and possibly snatch a win with less than ten minutes left.
Kolbe had to cover his eyes on the sideline, as his birthday was not going to plan.
Jordie Barrett missed the subsequent penalty kick and it all turned out okay for Kolbe, as South Africa won 12-11 and he, and the rest of the team and the nation, began the celebrations that have not stopped since.
In fact, he’s still wearing his strapping from the match, four days later, in what appears to be some kind of superstition, or perhaps just a nod to his family, whose names he had written down on his wrist bandages for the match.
The Springboks are now back in South Africa and while the trophy tour begins tomorrow, today they visited broadcaster Supersport’s head office, with plenty of staff and onlookers there to see the team and the trophy up close.
In what looks like being an incredibly selfless act, Kolbe walked on stage after a young performer stated that the double world cup winner is actually his favourite player.
What happened next, nobody could have predicted.
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It’s reminiscent of what happened after the Rugby World Cup final in 2015, when a young fan took to the field to try to get closer to All Blacks star and world cup winner, Sonny Bill Williams. The fan was tackled by security, but Williams then embraced the boy and shocked everyone when he ended up giving him his winner’s medal.
It was a moment that went truly viral at the time and goes down in history as an iconic memory of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and perhaps due to such good karma, Williams was later given another medal after the touching act.
It’s unclear yet if Kolbe got his medal back today or if he too might get given another, but after a four day bender and experiencing the love of South Africa, he was clearly in a generous mood.
*edit: Malcolm Marx also gave the boy his medal, but it appears as though both were returned shortly afterwards.
He also made another fan very happy at the airport yesterday.
And while Kolbe is still strapped from the final, fullback Damian Willemse has been wearing his (dirty) match kit everywhere he goes.
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The trophy tour kicks off in Pretoria tomorrow, followed by Johannesburg and Soweto, then moves on to other key centres around the country.
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I just can't agree with 8.5 for Ross Byrne. A 6 at best I would think.
Go to commentsI wouldn't take it personally that you didn't hear from Gatland, chief.
It's likely he just doesn't have your phone number.
You can't polish a turd. No coach can change that team at the moment.
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