Kolbe Urges South Africa To Capitalise On Their Chances

Springbok winger Chelsin Kolbe has dismissed the idea that South Africa’s long-running drought against Ireland in Dublin – with South Africa last winning there in 2012 – is something weighing on the squad.

 Kolbe said Saturday’s highly billed Autumn Nations Series clash against Ireland, making it clear that focus is on implementation, as the World Cup champions seek to change their fortunes in the city of Dublin.  

Additionally, the Boks have won only one match and lost three in the last four against Andy Farrell’s side. 

“It’s not something we’ve been thinking about,” said Kolbe. 

“Whether we played in South Africa, come here, or on a neutral ground, it’s always 50/50. We need to make sure we implement what we intend to do and what the coaches have set out for us. We also need to adapt to scenarios on the field. South Africa and Ireland are always a massive game and will be as physical as you can get.”

When reminded that he has achieved so much in the sport but has never won in Dublin, Kolbe acknowledged the personal significance.

“You’d love to win each Test match you play in, but personally, for me, I haven’t won here. We came close in 2022, but didn’t capitalise on a few opportunities and shots at goal that cost us. It would be massive for the growth of the team and the way we want to move forward.”

Kolbe added, “Our focus is to train as well as we can this week to ensure that we are confident going into the weekend.”

Ireland has enjoyed strong results against the Springboks in recent years – something Kolbe attributes to their ability to take their chances.

“In these games you need to make sure you capitalise on your opportunities – they’ve been doing that really well over the past few years,” he said. 

“It’s a well-coached team with good structure, so if you’re not up for it on the day, they can definitely hurt you. Besides focusing on ourselves, we need to be aware of what they can throw at us.”

Ireland’s aerial assault last weekend won’t have caught the Springboks off guard. Kolbe says kicking has become a defining weapon in modern rugby.

“Rugby has changed, and kicking has become a big weapon for all teams. Their kicking game has always worked well for them. They’ve been capitalising, scrapping, and showing desperation for lost balls more than other teams.”

As a back-three player, and with kicking taking on larger importance, Kolbe says he’s embraced the evolving demands of the game. 

“I love running with the ball, but that is a skill I’ve learnt since my debut in 2018 and something I continue to work at. It’s had a big emphasis on all teams across world rugby. You need to adapt, chase, and work hard to have a positive impact on the team – whether it’s making a tackle or chasing lost causes, it’s all done to benefit the team.”

Kolbe expressed immense pride in seeing three Springbok forwards nominated for the prestigious World Rugby Player of the Year award.

“I’m super excited for all three of them. They’re all forwards, which says a lot about how we’ve performed throughout the year. They don’t get the credit they deserve, but well done to them.”

Kolbe himself has been a nominee twice – in 2019 and 2024 – when teammate Pieter-Steph Du Toit won it in each respective year. 

With the Springboks having seen a couple of red cards in as many weeks, they have had to adjust their game plans according to the match situation. André Esterhuizen has been stepping into his newly found hybrid role, while Kolbe confirmed that he, and the rest of the squad, prepare for every scenario.

“There are many scenarios we train because you never know what might happen. You need to adapt and move on as the play goes. You can’t just focus on whatever the call was. For us, it’s about controlling what we can between the four lines.”

The electric winger has won only one of his four games against Ireland – a record he will want to change, and with two of his 21 career tries coming against the Irish, he’ll want to add to that tally on Saturday night.