Bok captain says it is important for his team to maintain their winning momentum against Ulster this weekend ahead of Bok training camp sessions
20 October 2022 - 15:23
byGeorge Byron
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Siya Kolisi of the Cell C Sharks during the United Rugby Championship match against Glasgow Warriors at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday October 15. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/ STEVE HAAG
Though crunch Test battles in the northern hemisphere are looming, Springbok skipper Siya Kolisi says he remains fully focused on giving the Sharks extra teeth when they face Ulster in Durban on Saturday.
Hours after the crunch United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Kings Park, Kolisi will head off to Stellenbosch to link up with the Bok training squad.
The Boks are gearing up for a four-Test tour in Europe which kicks off with a game against Ireland on November 5.
Kolisi will be away on national duty until the end of November and is determined to leave the Sharks on a high.
“My mind is still with the Sharks ahead of a big game against Ulster this weekend,” Kolisi said.
“The Bok training squad has been announced and that’s great. But when we return from national duty, we want to be competitive for our clubs.
“The better the unions do, the better the Springboks will do, so it’s important we do well while we’re with our clubs.
“Ulster are second on the log and have a very strong pack. We have a big challenge ahead of us upfront, especially at the contact area,” he said.
“But we have confidence in ourselves, we have quality players and we back each other to go flat-out against Ulster.”
Kolisi said new director of rugby Neil Powell had made an immediate impact at the Sharks.
“Coach Neil is amazing and very experienced in the sevens circuit and his voice means a lot because of what he’s achieved,” he said.
“Some of us have known him since we were 19 years old and it’s great to have him.
“He takes a lot of pressure off the coaching staff because he can manage everything off the field and make sure there are plans so head coach Sean Everitt can focus on the rugby.
“He gets stuck in with the boys during training sessions and we really enjoy having him,” Kolisi said.
“He’s an honest and direct man and a very understanding man as well.
“All we can do as players is work hard and perform each weekend because competition is tight and it takes away complacency.
“Coming back, we can see how the guys are performing so we have to pitch up week in and week out. The plan to have us play from the bench worked well against Glasgow.
“We were excited and just happy to be back and to join this group after what they did on tour and we wanted to add value.
“There was still a lot to do and we knew we had to bring energy.
“I enjoyed coming off the bench,” he said. “Whatever our roles are, we’ll take them. It’s not about us at the end of the day, it’s about the Sharks.”
Everitt said he was happy with the outcome of the Glasgow clash. “It wasn’t only in various facets of the game that we dominated, but it was about the way the players handled the ebb and flow of the game,” he said.
“Countering everything their athletic and physical opponents threw at them, before stepping up a gear later in the game.
“We knew it would be very difficult in the first half, but we also knew we had a lot of power coming off the bench.
“The guys who played in the first 40 did the hard yards for us, and the game opened up nicely for us later.
“There were a couple of things we spoke about at halftime, one of them being territory,” Everitt said.
“At times we needed to be a bit more conservative because we put ourselves under pressure territory-wise.”
Weekend URC fixtures involving SA teams:
Friday: Benetton vs Bulls 6.30pm.
Saturday: Lions vs Glasgow Warriors 4.05pm; Sharks vs Ulster 6.15pm; Cardiff vs Stormers 8.35pm.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Kolisi determined to leave Sharks on a high
Bok captain says it is important for his team to maintain their winning momentum against Ulster this weekend ahead of Bok training camp sessions
Though crunch Test battles in the northern hemisphere are looming, Springbok skipper Siya Kolisi says he remains fully focused on giving the Sharks extra teeth when they face Ulster in Durban on Saturday.
Hours after the crunch United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Kings Park, Kolisi will head off to Stellenbosch to link up with the Bok training squad.
The Boks are gearing up for a four-Test tour in Europe which kicks off with a game against Ireland on November 5.
Kolisi will be away on national duty until the end of November and is determined to leave the Sharks on a high.
“My mind is still with the Sharks ahead of a big game against Ulster this weekend,” Kolisi said.
“The Bok training squad has been announced and that’s great. But when we return from national duty, we want to be competitive for our clubs.
“The better the unions do, the better the Springboks will do, so it’s important we do well while we’re with our clubs.
“Ulster are second on the log and have a very strong pack. We have a big challenge ahead of us upfront, especially at the contact area,” he said.
“But we have confidence in ourselves, we have quality players and we back each other to go flat-out against Ulster.”
Kolisi said new director of rugby Neil Powell had made an immediate impact at the Sharks.
“Coach Neil is amazing and very experienced in the sevens circuit and his voice means a lot because of what he’s achieved,” he said.
“Some of us have known him since we were 19 years old and it’s great to have him.
“He takes a lot of pressure off the coaching staff because he can manage everything off the field and make sure there are plans so head coach Sean Everitt can focus on the rugby.
“He gets stuck in with the boys during training sessions and we really enjoy having him,” Kolisi said.
“He’s an honest and direct man and a very understanding man as well.
“All we can do as players is work hard and perform each weekend because competition is tight and it takes away complacency.
“Coming back, we can see how the guys are performing so we have to pitch up week in and week out. The plan to have us play from the bench worked well against Glasgow.
“We were excited and just happy to be back and to join this group after what they did on tour and we wanted to add value.
“There was still a lot to do and we knew we had to bring energy.
“I enjoyed coming off the bench,” he said. “Whatever our roles are, we’ll take them. It’s not about us at the end of the day, it’s about the Sharks.”
Everitt said he was happy with the outcome of the Glasgow clash. “It wasn’t only in various facets of the game that we dominated, but it was about the way the players handled the ebb and flow of the game,” he said.
“Countering everything their athletic and physical opponents threw at them, before stepping up a gear later in the game.
“We knew it would be very difficult in the first half, but we also knew we had a lot of power coming off the bench.
“The guys who played in the first 40 did the hard yards for us, and the game opened up nicely for us later.
“There were a couple of things we spoke about at halftime, one of them being territory,” Everitt said.
“At times we needed to be a bit more conservative because we put ourselves under pressure territory-wise.”
Weekend URC fixtures involving SA teams:
Friday: Benetton vs Bulls 6.30pm.
Saturday: Lions vs Glasgow Warriors 4.05pm; Sharks vs Ulster 6.15pm; Cardiff vs Stormers 8.35pm.
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