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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.
Latest Comments
No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
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