Durban - They may be outnumbered at the Stade de France tomorrow during the Rugby World Cup quarter-final, but Siya Kolisi says the Springboks will draw inspiration from their millions of supporters back home to drive them to the semi-finals against the host nation.
South Africa will take on France (9pm kickoff) in Paris with the majority of the more than 80 000-strong crowd against them, but they know back home, from the kasi to the leafy suburbs, across all nine provinces, they’ll have a whole nation behind them.
It will be the Boks’ biggest test yet in the defence of the title they won in 2019, and they know all too well that one slip-up from here on in will be the end of their dreams.
Those include winning back-to-back titles for the first time in South African history, to become the first nation ever to win four World Cups – and dreams to inspire a nation during trying times.
But they know they are also playing for the hopes and dreams of ordinary South Africans.
“That is where we get our edge from,” captain Kolisi said yesterday about the support they receive from Mzansi.
“We are blessed with gratitude for all the people who believe in this team so much.
“We are thankful for the people who are opening screens for people to view in the townships and malls, because our team represents the whole of South Africa.
“Of course, we love the game and we play for our reasons, but the main thing that brings us together is South Africa. That is who we play for, to make sure we don’t give up, (and) to always give 100%.
“That is what keeps us going, because so many people would give everything to be where we are today, because it influences so many people.
“We never take it for granted... That is why we put in the work, because we know all those people will be shouting for us.”
The Boks and France have only met once in the knockouts of the World Cup, way back in 1995 in Durban. South Africa won and went on to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time.
They will hope for another playoff win over the French – this time on foreign soil – to keep the dream alive of progressing to the semis and beyond.
The Independent on Saturday