Erasmus and Kolisi: Leading with heart and honour

The green and gold machine motors on, sometimes like a runaway train, at others like an old skedonk plying its trade between Alex and Sandton.

Great teams need to know how to win ugly and how to conjure magic from nothing; the Springboks can do both.

This current crop, under head coach Rassie Erasmus and skipper Siya Kolisi, are being rightfully spoken up as the best rugby team in the world, possibly the best Springbok team of all time and maybe, even, the best rugby team yet, surpassing Richie McCaw’s colossal All Blacks.

It’s a debate for the pub counter and around the braai fire, but what is incontrovertible is how special Erasmus and Kolisi have been in their roles.

Erasmus is an unquestionable genius when it comes to the sport.

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He was widely derided for his apparent underhandedness in questioning referees during the Covid British & Irish Lions’ series, leading to an unprecedented pitch side ban.

He was condemned for his innovations on the field and his interpretation of the laws.

Today, every other international coach does what Erasmus was condemned for, including openly lambasting referees.

Perversely, Erasmus has gone the other way; he’s gone back to fielding conventional 5:3 reserve benches, he’s the teacher’s pet when it comes to speaking about referees.

Most of all, in a world of braggadocio and bullsh*t, he’s refreshingly honest and candid about the failings of the team and he has significantly resisted any temptation to bask in the glory of the Boks’ historic winning margins because he knows what’s it like to lose against those same teams.

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In the process, he’s set another benchmark, not just for sport but for anyone in public life in terms of honesty, accountability and transparency.

His appointment of Kolisi as captain has yielded a similar harvest.

Kolisi has his detractors over his playing ability, but few will deny that he is perhaps the best captain of any sport in the world; humble, self-effacing, brutally honest – and a person who appears dedicated in his personal as well as professional life to make a real difference to the lives of South Africans.

Neither Erasmus, nor Kolisi are perfect, but they are incredibly good human beings.

They give us reason to be proud, but they also give us a standard to aim for in our lives, something that many of our political, spiritual, business and other community leaders fail abysmally to do.

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