COMMENT
Is there something Springboks ace Cheslin Kolbe cannot do on a rugby field?
Kolbe started off his career with the Stormers as a player known for his electrifying speed, feet, and fearlessness — a side-stepping wizard who could make defenders look foolish with a swing of his hips.
Over the years, he has also become a key part of the Springboks' kicking game, with his leap defying his height to dominate the aerial battle when following up contestable kicks.
His cunning rugby brain also saw him make a crucial charge-down from a Thomas Ramos conversion in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France, which the Boks eventually won by a single point.
In Chasing the Sun 2, the Springboks' fly-on-the-wall Rugby World Cup documentary, there was a clip of Kolbe being called in by coaches Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber during a selection meeting ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks.
The debate was about going with a 7-1 split in favour of the forwards on the bench, which required Kolbe to cover scrumhalf. The winger simply said it would be fine, “as long as I get the reps in”.
Against the Wallabies in 2024, Kolbe put the ball into a scrum during an attacking play, and a few months later in Cape Town against the All Blacks, he threw the ball into the lineout to give the Boks an extra forward to maul with.
Fast forward another two years to Saturday night in Cape Town, and the world witnessed another evolution of the Springbok superstar.
Taking over primary goal-kicking duties, Kolbe put on a masterclass off the tee, slotting three conversions and four penalties for a match-winning 18-point haul in the 33–26 victory over the All Blacks.
It was a flawless display under extreme pressure in a must-win Test that proved Kolbe is not merely an explosive ball-carrier, or a makeshift scrumhalf and hooker who can feed the set-piece on a whim, but also a world-class sharpshooter.
Now, the Boks’ ultimate Swiss Army knife faces his next vital assignment. With regular fullback Damian Willemse sidelined with an injury suffered in Cape Town, Kolbe shifts to the No 15 shirt for this weekend’s decisive third Test at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
Playing fullback in a Rassie Erasmus system demands far more than just fielding kicks and counter-attacking into space. It requires exceptional tactical nous, defensive spatial awareness, and a varied, accurate kicking game out of hand.
Kolbe brings all of those traits in abundance. His outstanding rugby IQ enables him to read opposition attacks before the play unfolds, while his powerful boot provides the Boks with vital exit options and long-range territorial control.
Some would argue that fullback is actually the best use of his unrivalled running ability, as he can be a devastating counter-attacker in space. Despite his size, Kolbe is also a master at protecting the ball in isolation because of his experience in the Sevens arena with the Blitzboks.
Whether packing down at scrumhalf in a pinch, slotting crucial penalties from distance, charging down conversions, or now stepping up into the last line of defence at fullback, Kolbe continues to redefine what it means to be a modern Springbok.
The phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" has never felt less applicable. In Kolbe's case, he has mastered every single trade the game has asked of him, and he should be right at home in the Boks’ last line on Saturday.