{"id":10989,"date":"2025-06-23T14:58:46","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T12:58:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=10989"},"modified":"2026-03-12T10:27:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:27:46","slug":"siya-kolisi-praises-team-unity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/siya-kolisi-praises-team-unity\/","title":{"rendered":"Springbok Captain Siya Kolisi Praises Team Unity Ahead of Upcoming Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has expressed his joy at being reunited with his national teammates. This is as the world champions gear up for their 2025 campaign opener. The squad, currently based in Johannesburg, will soon shift focus to Cape Town where they will face the Barbarians in a high-profile clash this coming weekend. Kolisi&#8217;s presence inspires confidence among his teammates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kolisi, ever the heartbeat of the Boks, reflected on the unique bond within the team camp, describing it as a &#8220;special environment&#8221; that fuels their passion. The incoming Test matches against Italy and the Georgian will follow the on-Test encounter against the Barbarians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-siya-kolisi-a-reunion-that-means-more\"><strong>Siya Kolisi \u2013 A Reunion That Means More<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The return of veteran lock Lood de Jager has added extra emotion to this camp. De Jager has battled injuries and health concerns that kept him out of action for years. For Kolisi, seeing his longtime teammate back in green and gold was a moving moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cBeing back here reminds you how short this journey is,\u201d Kolisi said. \u201cSeeing Lood again after such a long time\u2026 that hug, that energy \u2013 you can\u2019t really put it into words. He was literally hitting me just out of excitement. That\u2019s the vibe in camp \u2013 real joy, real brotherhood.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Kolisi explained that the Springbok environment goes beyond just rugby. \u201cYou see the management joking around, the players laughing\u2026 it feels like home. That comfort and connection are why we go all out on the field. We trust one another, and that unity drives us, with Siya Kolisi leading by example.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3226177559\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fitness-focus-and-familiar-faces\"><strong>Fitness, Focus, and Familiar Faces<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizen.co.za\/sport\/rugby\/kolisi-happy-back-special-springbok-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">most players<\/a> now back from club duties, preparations have intensified. According to Kolisi, the training sessions are brutal \u2013 sometimes even more intense than matches \u2013 as coaches demand high standards from the get-go, a challenge that Siya Kolisi thrives upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTraining\u2019s been relentless. Felix Jones is back with his usual energy \u2013 shouting, pushing us,\u201d Kolisi said with a grin. \u201cWe did fitness tests last week, and even when you\u2019re on the brink of collapse, they\u2019re still urging you on. But it\u2019s all about giving your best, mistakes included. That\u2019s what makes this space so special \u2013 you\u2019re encouraged to go full throttle without fear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kolisi praised the coaching team\u2019s commitment to recreating match-level intensity in camp. \u201cThe goal is to match the level expected in top Test matches, and they build that from day one. That\u2019s the culture now \u2013 high energy, total commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-homecoming-with-heart\"><strong>Homecoming with Heart<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Boks will return to Gqeberha in July for their second Test of the season against Italy \u2013 their first in the city in front of fans since 2018. For Kolisi, who is particularly excited, the fixture holds deep personal significance, as it marks a return to his roots in the Eastern Cape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s always emotional to play in the Eastern Cape,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s where I\u2019m from, and coach Rassie too. The people there love rugby. Whenever we land, the airport is buzzing. They\u2019re passionate, loyal, and they deserve more games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kolisi believes the upcoming fixture at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be packed, and he hopes it sets the tone for more events in the region. \u201cIt\u2019ll be incredible to play in front of friends and family again. It means the world, and I know the stadium will be rocking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-184702862\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-all-eyes-on-cape-town-then-beyond\"><strong>All Eyes on Cape Town, Then Beyond<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With their 2025 international season about to begin, the Springboks are embracing the challenge with renewed energy and spirit, largely influenced by Siya Kolisi&#8217;s leadership. The side is primed for a campaign that promises intensity, passion, and pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Related article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/how-springboks-continued-winning-legacy\/\">Springboks\u2019 Secret to Consistency: How the Boks Have Continued Their Winning Legacy<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has expressed his joy at being reunited with his national teammates. This is as the world champions gear up for their 2025 campaign opener. The squad, currently based in Johannesburg, will soon shift focus to Cape Town where they will face the Barbarians in a high-profile clash this coming weekend. Kolisi&#8217;s<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":10996,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has expressed his joy at being reunited with his national teammates. This is as the world champions gear up for their 2025...","footnotes":""},"categories":[56,64],"tags":[1341,1052,2639,873],"class_list":{"0":"post-10989","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"category-sports-news","9":"tag-rugby-news","10":"tag-siya-kolisi","11":"tag-springbok-men","12":"tag-springboks"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10989"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10998,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10989\/revisions\/10998"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}