CAPE TOWN - From his freakish feet to his versatility to his insane ability to seemingly be capable of just about anything on a rugby field, Cheslin Kolbe has had the rugby world talking for various reasons for a while now.
This week, the World Cup-winner has some talking for a different reason – the fact that he’s keen to play flyhalf again.
While Kolbe is somewhat of a Jack of all trades, dare anybody ever say he’s a master of none and he would almost certainly prove them wrong. While he normally does his magic at wing and fullback, during an injury crisis at his French club, Toulouse in February 2020, Kolbe started at No 10 in a Top 14 game against Racing 92 in Paris. Then there was also the time he slotted in at No 8 for Toulouse during an opposition scrum back in 2019. That’s that versatility and immeasurable talent.
He all but looked out of place at flyhalf in Paris as he as he connected two conversions and two penalties (including a long-range shot of almost 50 metres out) for a 10-point haul as his team were edged 27-30.
During an interview with interview with Radio KC 107.7fm on Monday, Kolbe’s versatility and all the spots he’s found himself in came up.
“I don’t know what they are using me as, a wildcard, I think,” Kolbe quipped. “I love this game, that’s why I am still doing it. I am enjoying what I am doing. I make sure that whenever I do get on the field, I just deliver the best performance for us to succeed.
“Wherever I play, I’ll just do the best that I can. I’ve played at No 8, flyhalf, wing and fullback, and I just love expressing the wonderful talent that I am blessed with and making full use of it. There are so many players out there who have the potential but lack expressing it on the field. That’s what I want to do, I just want to live out my dream.
“I get a lot of people telling me that I am probably one of the best players in the world. If that is the case, I will have to make sure that I perform like one, each and every weekend. It’s great to get that recognition, but I just have to stay as humble as I can.
“I am definitely loving wing and fullback, but if I had to look at where I’ve started, I wouldn’t mind playing some rugby at flyhalf again. Hopefully I can get a few games in my career at flyhalf. I’m happy to play wherever the team needs me and deliver good performances.”
From ball boy at Hands and Hearts, one of the clubs his father (who also represented Western Province and Saru) played for to rising to become one of the best players in the world, Kolbe has walked quite a path, and it was no easy one, with the too-small-for-Test-rugby believers delaying his arrival to the international stage.
But he got there, and now he’s on top of the rugby world. In typical Kolbe fashion, though, he made it clear that it’s not just about him.
“I’m living out my dream, but I’m living out my dad’s dream as well. He’s in my mind whenever I take to the field.”