The massive crowd of 68,000 passionate fans who watched the Springboks beat the All Blacks in Baltimore provided exciting evidence that rugby can catch on quickly among Americans who enjoy watching tough physical sports, Siya Kolisi says.
SA’s inspirational captain has urged rugby bosses to take more games to America to increase the sport’s popularity ahead of the US staging the 2031 Rugby World Cup tournament for the first time.
The Boks outscored the All Blacks by six tries to four on their way to a 43-28 win, which enabled them to clinch Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series 3-1 in front of a US record crowd at the M&T Bank Stadium.
“Just the environment, what they saw in Baltimore, and the passion of the people of South Africa, the New Zealand supporters that were here,” Kolisi said.
“Also just the manner that the Boks played in, and also the values and the respect that we have one another as a team.
“And also I think it’s a game that Americans would actually enjoy because they love physical sports.
“So I really think the more teams get to come and play here in the US, the more people will be invested in the rugby teams.”
“I want to thank every single South African here in the stadium and back home.
“It was a special week and great to see you guys come out in your numbers to support us in the US.
“We are so grateful; we do it for you every single time and we could hear you during the match. So thank you so much.
“To the New Zealand fans, thank you for coming to our beautiful country, South Africa.
“Thank you for embracing our culture and our people and I hope you enjoyed your time in South Africa and in the United States as well.”
Kolisi said the Boks had made great strides in recent times under coach Rassie Erasmus.
“Coach Rassie came, and he had a plan on how to change things going forward,” he said.
“I think our mentality at the time wasn’t in a good place, and he reminded us how important this team is, how powerful this team is and what we have done in the past.
“But the individuals make the team work.
“The coach made a group of South Africans from different parts of life, all focused on one.
“We all came in with our different goals. We all wanted to achieve different things, and we speak 11 languages in our team. Our main focus was to make the Springboks proud and make the people of South Africa proud.
“And he was honest and upfront with his coaching staff about what the way going forward was and how we’re gonna do it, and he backed us, believed in us, fought for us, and that’s what made us want to play for him.
“We’re trying to improve and get better, and we’re working on our own internal standards in the group, so we can keep on improving because we can’t be satisfied and stay the same.
“Because then everybody is going to catch up to us.”
Bok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, who won the Man of the Match award in Baltimore, says he doubted whether he’d even be part of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series after a long injury layoff.
“It’s so emotional playing here in Baltimore,” he said.
“It’s been such a massive honour to play for this team, for this jersey, for our country and for my family back home.
“I am so proud of the boys that we could pull it through.
“It’s been a dream come true.
“You dream of this as a young boy playing in the garden, scoring tries in the corner of the garden and then to be able to do it on this field in America, in Baltimore, in front of this amazing crowd – I’m speechless.”
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