Siya Kolisi will lead the Springboks in Saturday's second Test against the All Blacks at DHL Stadium after recovering from injury, with the captain earning his 100th cap in a fixture the hosts must win to keep the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series alive. The double World Cup-winning skipper reclaims the armband from Pieter-Steph du Toit, who will lead the side out in his hometown before taking his place in a back row that has started together 17 times for South Africa.
Kolisi's return comes amid a late reshuffle forced by Handré Pollard's withdrawal on Friday morning. The veteran flyhalf sustained a calf injury in training and has been replaced by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, with Manie Libbok moving onto the replacements bench. Assistant coach Mzwandile Stick explained that the coaching staff had initially selected Kurt-Lee Arendse on the wing based on medical reports available on Monday, but Cheslin Kolbe's full recovery from hamstring and ankle injuries sustained at Ellis Park prompted a second late change. Kolbe, who kicked one conversion and three penalties in the first Test before leaving the field injured, provides an additional goal-kicking option alongside his attacking threat.
"It's not nice for Kurt-Lee because he probably would have had the opportunity," Stick said. "Kurt-Lee is also ready and fit to play, but it's just that we decided for this game, I think Cheslin will play."
The Springboks trail 1-0 after the 16-33 defeat in Johannesburg, a result that has placed them in a position Kolisi insists the squad has navigated before. The captain drew parallels with the 2021 British and Irish Lions series, when South Africa came from behind to win, and the 2019 World Cup campaign that began with defeat. "We were 1-0 down against the Lions, we lost the opening game of the 2019 World Cup, and we came back," Kolisi said. "We have all been in this position before and we know how to handle it."
Converting Opportunities the Key Focus
Stick identified the failure to convert scoring chances as the decisive factor at Ellis Park, where the Springboks created multiple opportunities but allowed New Zealand to punish them on the counter. "There were moments where we were in control, but if you don't take your opportunities and convert them against the All Blacks, you will be punished, and that was one of the biggest lessons," Stick said. "The All Blacks didn't have many opportunities, but they took their chances when they came."
The assistant coach confirmed that the analysis and preparation had been thorough, with the coaching staff and players working together to identify solutions. "We prepared very well this week and analysed in depth where and how we missed those opportunities," Stick said. "As coaches, we had to lead by example and come up with solutions, and the way we did that together with the players was one of the main positives about the week, so we are in a good space."
With the series now effectively a knockout scenario—defeat would leave the Springboks unable to win the four-match contest outright—Kolisi's experience and leadership will be central to South Africa's response. The captain's return adds a dimension that extends beyond tactics, with former Springbok Joel Stransky comparing Kolisi's influence to that of Nelson Mandela. "When Nelson Mandela wished a team well, they went on and they did something spectacular, and I think Siya Kolisi bears that sort of legacy," Stransky said. "He is a massive force."
The Springboks face a New Zealand side that dominated the second half at Ellis Park and will arrive in Cape Town with confidence. For Kolisi and his side, the equation is straightforward: win or face an uphill battle to salvage the series over the final two Tests.