The great irony of this South Africa team is that while there has been so much talk of how physical they are, how they are direct, belligerent, and even boring, their most dangerous weapon is 5ft 7in and 75kg wet through. Cheslin Kolbe is one the most lethal attacking players in the world at the moment and there is every chance that if the final is close and cagey, as a lot of people think it will be, he could make all the difference.
Four years ago it was Nehe Milner-Skudder, another pint-sized wing, who lit up the World Cup and now it is Kolbe. Jonny May has a job on his hands up against him and as much as May has improved defensively over the last couple of years and, as quick as he is, if he finds himself isolated one-one-one with Kolbe … well let’s just say I’m glad I’m not in that position.
England, it must be said, have been outstanding at maintaining their defensive integrity throughout the competition and particularly against the All Blacks. I thought Manu Tuilagi had a blinding match against them, as much without the ball as with it. He was able to get in Richie Mo’unga’s eyeline, force him back inside and that allowed Sam Underhill and Tom Curry to do their damage. That is going to be crucial again because if South Africa dominate the gainline and the ruck area and can get quick ball for Faf de Klerk to feed on, Kolbe will be heavily involved.
England will also have to kick well and chase well. If not, Kolbe can rip anyone to shreds in the broken field. England will also have to be mindful in terms of their discipline. I don’t think it’s so much Kolbe’s height, but his ability to change direction so quickly that can cause all manner of problems. As a committed defender you are desperate to shut down his space but if, all of a sudden, he goes from left to right or vice versa, at a rate of knots and you just stick out an arm, you are going to be in trouble.
It’s just an instinctive reaction – he has made you look silly, you’ve left an arm out and if any England players make that mistake then they bring Jérôme Garcès into the game. That’s always the danger when you are up against Kolbe and even if it doesn’t happen, he makes defenders think about it, he spooks them. In the semi-final against Wales, we saw South Africa rely on their kick-chase tactics and I do expect them to do the same again. But when you have a weapon as potent as Kolbe, you have to use him and I’m sure South Africa will find ways to get him involved.
I would describe him as a lovely tonic to a game which will probably be dominated by physicality, the gainline battle and defence. It may just force South Africa into having a slightly different approach because one on one we have seen him shine throughout this tournament.
What I also love about Kolbe is his resilience. He was overlooked for years by previous Springboks coaches for being too small but when people have a preconceived idea of you, the one thing you will have in spades is resilience.
The final is being contested by two teams who are dominated by size and power so it is so nice to be able to talk about this one unique player who is so special with ball in hand. Of course, it is not the responsibility of either South Africa or England to go out there and entertain, all they want to do is win, but when you have this livewire, it will be brilliant for the millions of people tuning in to simply watch him play.
Kolbe clearly has god-given talent in abundance, but it would be completely false to say that he has not had to work so hard at his game. Opponents know what is coming, they know all about what he can do, but the fact that he can still excel consistently demonstrates his work ethic and his ability to adapt. When you have the physical dimensions of Kolbe, you have to be so quick and agile and have the footwork to survive. Otherwise he would get swallowed up.
I also think Rassie Erasmus deserves credit for giving Kolbe a chance. The Springboks are being criticised in South Africa for their style of play but I do not think that is fair, not when Kolbe is in the side. From an England perspective, we have been looking for the next Jason Robinson ever since he retired but despite the vast player pool, no one has come close. That shows what rare gifts these kinds of players have.
Kolbe is also a great advert for the sevens pathway. I realise that sevens has moved on from my day and that it has its own identity now, and I realise the domestic structure makes things more difficult, but I do think it’s a shame that there is not the synergy there once was. I massively benefited from it, being able to travel the world at 19, play on the big stages and experience what it is like to be put under that kind of pressure in an array of different countries. It was an immeasurable help for my career and it seems clear that the same can be said for Kolbe.
