John Dobson has spoken emphatically about the significance of Siya Kolisi's return to the Stormers, describing the Springbok captain as 'special' after a series of gestures that underlined his commitment to the squad before he had even taken the field.
Kolisi made his first Stormers appearance in six years on Friday against Edinburgh in the URC, a match the Cape side lost on an artificial surface in windy conditions. The defeat, however, has done little to temper the enthusiasm around his return.
The tone was set on tour before a ball was kicked. After the Springboks' series win over the All Blacks, Dobson had told Kolisi to return home and rest. Instead, Kolisi travelled from Perth via Dubai and Dublin, then by bus to Galway to join the Stormers for their URC opener against Connacht. His reasoning was straightforward: 'The best way to connect to the team is on tour, and I want to connect to this team.'
Dobson was unequivocal in his assessment. 'That's actions, not words. He's just done the best act of bridge-crossing you could possibly do. This guy is special.'
The Stormers currently have three recent Junior Springbok captains in their system alongside established loose forwards, and Dobson sees Kolisi's mentorship role as complementing rather than displacing that group. 'Siya will be able to help develop these players and mentor them in a way that nobody else could, given what he has achieved and what he represents to all South Africans, and especially our fans,' Dobson said.
Riley Norton, who captained the SA U20 side at the World Championship and made his Stormers debut in Galway, offered the clearest illustration of Kolisi's influence at the Champions Cup launch in Lyon this week. 'Siya lifts the energy and the mood of a room whenever he walks into it — with charisma, humility, humour and song,' Norton said. 'He has an ability to calm everyone, encourage young players, like myself, and mentor them. He shares so much knowledge and his own experiences, but he does it in a conversational and heartfelt way.'
Norton's sharpest observation spoke to the culture Kolisi cultivates: 'Here is a back-to-back World Cup-winning captain and he is helping with strapping, carrying the water and ready to serve the team in any capacity if he is not on the field. As a player, you just want to follow him into battle.'
Stormers CEO Johan le Roux was equally candid about the commercial dimension of the signing. 'Siya is a national icon who has such a strong connection to our team and our supporters. Our sponsors are very excited to see players of Siya and Cheslin Kolbe's calibre back in the Stormers squad. This class of superstars increases the commercial value for our sponsors through the attention they draw from around the world to the Stormers.'