VIDEO: The unbreakable bond behind Bok success envied worldwide

DUBLIN, IRELAND: As the Springboks march through their end-of-year tour, one question seems to follow them from country to country: How do they keep doing it?

Reporters everywhere are probing for Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’s secret formula – the resilience, the relentlessness, the ability to win under pressure and rise above adversity time and again.

This week, it was Cheslin Kolbe’s turn in the spotlight. The electric winger, a cornerstone of Bok success since 2018, faced a barrage of questions about longevity, evolution, and how South Africa stays one step ahead of the chasing pack.

And as always, Kolbe pointed back to the heartbeat of this team: its culture, its unity, and an unbreakable will to play for each other – and for their country.

There is no denying that the blend of coaches, the hours and hours of planning, and extremely hard work is what sets this team apart, but at the heart of it all, it comes down to that bond that exists within the squad.

It seems that the Springbok team has been there and done that, beating all and sunder bar the Irish, which makes the clash at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday such an important fixture on the Boks’ annual program this year.

On this end-of-year tour, reporters in each of the countries have asked questions with a similar theme: trying to understand coach Rassie Erasmus’s secret winning recipe, how long this team can keep winning, how they do it, and how they remain resilient despite facing numerous adversities.

Springbok flyer Cheslin Kolbe has almost been an institution in the side, making his debut in 2018, and has since become arguably one of the best players in the world.

He was integral in the Springboks winning the Rugby Championship in 2019 as well as the World Cup in Japan that year, scoring a try late in the second half of the Final against England.

Kolbe was again instrumental in the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, starting in all three Test matches, and once more scoring the Springboks’ only try in the third and deciding Test of the tour, which propelled South Africa to a series win.

In the 2023 World Cup, he received a yellow card and was sent off for a deliberate knock-on in the last ten minutes of the Final, as South Africa held on to win 12–11 against New Zealand.

Kolbe faced a barrage of questions from local media on Tuesday, many of them around the Springboks staying a step ahead of the rest, the average age of the players in the squad, and how to beat Ireland.

He patiently explained how important the culture within the squad is and how this team plays for each other and for South Africa.

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“To stay on top, winning back-to-back – it’s done and in the past. We can’t rely on that; it’s not going to win us matches.

“They’re not going to win us matches, and that’s what’s special about this team.

“The environment, the culture that the coaches and players have bought into, has been unbelievable,” Kolbe said.

“The plans that the coaches come up with, and the buy-in the players have, it’s incredible. And whether the coaches come up with a plan, players also have a say, whether they think there’s something better we can do, which is also a good environment to have.

“There’s no A or B team here. Everybody is seen as number one, and whoever plays on the weekend, we make sure that we prepare them as well as we can, and we respect each and every one of us.

“We just want the best for the player who has the opportunity to wear a special jersey, because at the end of the day, it’s not about us as individuals.

“It’s for the Springboks and for the millions of people back in South Africa who have been behind this team.

Asked what he would describe as the highlight of his career up to this point after winning the World Cup, he struggled to single out one specific moment.

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“We have achieved so much, but that is all in the past.

“It is what it is, we are in a new year, and a new season.

“For me personally, I just want to be in this environment for as long as I can. It is a great place to be involved in and to learn to grow as a player.

“But also away from the field, we care about each other, and we are truly family. It is not just rugby

“So, I just want to be here as long as possible, to give my best for the jersey and for those who came before us and everyone who supports us, win or lose.

“It is something that I really still want to continue doing for a very long time.

The speedster spoke about the tough victories over France and Italy on this tour and doing so with only 14 players, saying, “It just shows how much we care about each other. It is obviously bad if you lose a player.

“It just means each of us has to work a little bit harder. It is not always easy, but we will always do our best between the four lines.”