CAPE TOWN – There’s quite a few sights that are familiar at post-match Springbok press conferences. Or any Bok presser, for that matter.
The backdrop featuring the team’s sponsors.
The energy drinks and water bottles placed close to either corner of the top table.
The numerous chairs and cameras to accommodate the media.
And now all of those well-known sights will welcome another - Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.
Kolisi himself, walking into the room in a Springbok captaincy role, certainly isn’t a familiar image. But it can become one. And something that certainly will become just as routine as all those other aspects is the way the exciting loose forward engages everybody in the room, new or old, and the character he brings to a formal sit-down.
Those who attend Stormers media activities won’t need much briefing on the demeanour of captain Siya.
He walks in, shakes every single person’s hand, and will often add an undoubtedly sincere chat in there - whether it’s a simple 'how you doing?' or a game-related comment.
He has a presence. And it’s a good one. It’s a welcoming one. And that kind of presence in a team, especially in a leadership role, can only have a good effect on a side.
At the Stormers he’s brought persona to the captaincy, and I have no doubt he’ll bring that same vibe to the Boks.
But it doesn’t start and end in the media room.
Kolisi interacts with everybody in attendance at a Stormers press-conference. Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
It’s not hard to see why Kolisi is a well-respected member of the Stormers squad. And it’s not only voiced by the players, it’s shown as well.
There’s no doubt he’s a respected figure, and he’s a loved one at that.
And you just have to have witnesses a single signing session or any kind of fan engagement to be convinced, if you aren’t already.
To top it all off, his quality as a player cannot be doubted. And when it comes to his captaincy, he can become that people’s captain kind of leader. And I think he is one already.
Up until now, Siya Kolisi has shown why he deserves the Springbok captaincy as a player, and he certainly deserves it as a person.