Kolisi downplays milestone as Boks and France set for another Parisian thriller

A game which already had plenty of spice in the mix received an extra pinch this week when France coach Fabien Galthie suggested South Africa may have been spying on his team.

Sat, 08 Nov, 2025 - 02:09

Craig Ray

It’s been billed as the biggest rugby game of the year by some, which is debatable, but the clash between France and South Africa in Paris has all the ingredients required to concoct a classic.

Revenge, alleged spying, mind games and personal milestones are all in the mix, ensuring this contest has the makings of another thriller.

The last time they met was a Test for the ages. In case you’ve forgotten, the Boks won 29-28 in the quarter-final of Rugby World Cup 2023, dumping France out of their home tournament.

There was rancour and petulance aplenty after the match. Antoine Dupont, the magnificent scrum-half and France captain, accused the officials of being sub-standard. Referee Ben O’Keeffe from New Zealand was roundly jeered the following week when he took charge of the Boks’ semi-final.

Dupont’s outburst was understandable, if unsubstantiated. He was personally crushed. He carried the burden of a nation on his shoulders and had made a miraculous recovery from a facial fracture to play in the match.

But his criticism of O’Keeffe was unfair and should have come with some sort of disciplinary action. World Rugby let it slide, not wanting to add insult to injury for France’s golden child.

There were numerous moments in a game so tight, which might have gone the other way. Those are the margins at the top level. And tonight, at another packed Stade de France, the game is likely to be decided by one or two key moments.

In the bigger scheme of rugby, this clash won’t have the seismic significance of a World Cup knockout.

But for both coaches – Fabien Galthie and Rassie Erasmus – it’s about seeing how evolving squads cope under pressure.

Erasmus, that devilish master of mayhem, named the French team on his personal X account, 54 minutes before France officially released it on Thursday. Erasmus was 100% accurate with his predictions, which might have added to France’s apparent paranoia.

Galthie closed French training sessions in the build-up and hinted that the Boks might be spying on them via the SA U19 team, which was also training at Les Bleus’ Marcoussis base.

The only trouble with that theory was that the SA U19 squad were in situ at the invitation of the French Federation and not due to some Machiavellian Erasmus scheme. Rassie wields some power and influence in the game, but not that much.

Still, any distraction might be a good one as far as the Boks are concerned as they aim to keep their goal of winning five from five on tour on track.

“It’s an important Test because our goal is being the No 1 ranked team at the end of the year, so every game is a knockout match for us,” Bok skipper Siya Kolisi said in his pre-match media session.

And as for Kolisi, it’s a huge personal milestone as he will become the ninth player to earn 100 caps for the Springboks.

None of the eight men before him have travelled a longer, harder road to get there though.

Kolisi grew up in abject poverty in the township of Zwide, in the city of Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth). Kids from such humble beginnings face overwhelming odds to just emerge and lead a “normal” life, let alone rise to the pinnacle of one of the hardest sports in the world.

Kolisi should never have played one Test, given his start in life, let alone 100. And it’s all testament to his own talent and hard work, and to making the most of some unlikely opportunities that came his way. Kolisi has always acknowledged the role of others in his journey, among them New-York-based businessman Vincent Mai.

Kolisi earned one of Mai’s scholarships to Grey High, the prestigious Gqeberha school, which gave him the coaching, education and nutrition he needed to become a world-class rugby player.

Mai flew to Paris on Saturday to be in the stands to witness Kolisi’s special moment, but he didn’t for one moment take any credit.

“You must salute Siya’s remarkable perseverance,” Mai said.

“His ethic of hard work and trying his best at all times underlines his strengths. If you earn 100 Test caps it means you’ve operated at a level of supreme excellence for a long time. It all stems from hard work and it’s all Siya – I find it breathtaking.”

The Boks have not made a huge fuss about Kolisi’s milestone this week. They will have a proper celebration afterwards, regardless of the outcome. But beforehand it is always, “team first, individual second.”

A nice touch will be when Kolisi’ children – Nicholas and Keziah – walk him out into the arena on Saturday night. That will be the biggest nod to the centurion.

“The celebrations for my milestone have been chilled,” Kolisi said. “I think if it was at home, it would be a little different. For us, the team always comes before the individual.”

In terms of personnel, the Boks are well set despite missing loosehead Ox Nche and hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels. They are so stocked that flank Kwagga Smith, wing Ethan Hooker, flyhalf Handre Pollard and centre Canan Moodie were left out completely this weekend.

Kurt-Lee Arendse, scorer of 23 tries in 28 Tests replaces Hooker in a logical decision while Erasmus has preferred the steady defensive head of Jesse Kriel to the silkier attacker Moodie.

Smith had a hand niggle but could’ve played. Erasmus decided to exercise caution and had drafted in hybrid player Andre Esterhuizen as flank cover.

Esterhuizen, a fantastic centre, gives the Boks options. They could have a 6-2 split between forwards and backs, or they could be 5-3, depending on how Esterhuizen is utilised.

Pollard’s Test involvements are becoming fewer with the rise of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and the presence of Manie Libbok.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cobus Reinach link up as a halfback pair for the fifth consecutive time, indicating that despite some tinkering, the vital 9/10 axis is stable.

Will the Boks win? They have a great chance and on paper look more settled than France, who have lost their last four Tests against the Boks in Paris.

It promises to be a thunderous encounter and a fitting occasion to mark a wonderful and quite frankly, stupendous personal milestone for Kolisi.