High praise from a credible source — Sam Cane, having spent several years training alongside Kolbe at Suntory Sungoliath, puts him among the greatest players ever to lace up boots. Cane's assessment carries weight precisely because it comes from daily exposure rather than opposition-box admiration: watching Kolbe score tries in training that leave seasoned internationals shaking their heads, executing chips over fullbacks and finding angles no one else can. Cane is explicit that it's the combination of Kolbe's footwork, physicality relative to his size, and consistency that sets him apart from every other outside back he's played with — a list that includes Jordan, Savea, and Lowe. The piece also touches on the warmth Springbok players extend off the field, with Cane singling out Kolisi's efforts to build genuine friendships across rugby's traditional divides.
Sam Cane: Kolbe is one of the greatest players of all time
Sam Cane, speaking from years of daily training alongside Kolbe at Suntory, rates him among the greatest players of all time — not for what he does on match day, but for what he does every week in training.
Kolisi treats Barbarians clash as a full Test match ahead of Gqeberha opener
Siya Kolisi insists the Springboks are treating Saturday's Barbarians clash in Gqeberha as a full Test match, with internal competition, positional battles and the season opener's importance all cited as the camp's driving forces.
Erasmus warns Boks: England bring youth, experience and tactical unpredictability to Ellis Park
Rassie Erasmus has praised England's touring squad as young, experienced and tactically unpredictable ahead of the Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park on 4 July, while Siya Kolisi returns as captain for a fixture that marked his first Test captaincy in 2018.
Dobson: Kolbe returning to win trophies, not to wind down
John Dobson says Cheslin Kolbe has made a major financial sacrifice to return to the Stormers, motivated by winning trophies rather than winding down his career, while warning the franchise is close to its limit on high-profile signings.
Kolbe takes pay cut to return to Stormers, Dobson eyes 2029 with two icons back
Cheslin Kolbe returns to the Stormers on a below-market deal, taking a substantial pay cut from his Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath salary to join John Dobson's Project 2029 rebuild alongside fellow returning icon Siya Kolisi.
Kolbe took pay cut to force Stormers return after four failed attempts
Cheslin Kolbe accepted a significant pay cut to rejoin the Stormers for 2026/27, with coach John Dobson confirming the deal came after four previous failed attempts and that Kolbe turned down far more lucrative options to return to Cape Town.