VIDEO: The one box Kolbe must still tick
South Africa’s most renowned hot-stepping flyer, Cheslin Kolbe, enjoys testing himself against the best at the most iconic venues.
Of his 42 Tests, the Springbok wing has played eight times against the All Blacks – being on the winning side on four occasions, with one draw.
His last three encounters with the All Blacks all produced Boks wins, including the epic World Cup Final at Stade de France in Paris on October 28, 2023 – when the pocket rocket spent agonising over an error of judgement on the sidelines after being yellow-carded in the closing minutes.
The monumental venues he visited also span the globe: Lang Park, Loftus Versfeld, Stade de France, Murrayfield, Cardiff Arms Park, Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, International Stadium Yokohama, Lansdowne Road, Stade Velodrome, Ellis Park, Kings Park, and Twickenham.
The one item missing from his resume is the iconic Eden Park in Auckland.
That box he will tick when South Africa face New Zealand in a Rugby Championship crunch encounter on Saturday.
Kolbe said it is a ‘special’ occasion, playing at the iconic Auckland venue for the first time, but an opportunity he is relishing.
“I have not played here before,” he said about the venue and its well-documented record, adding: “It is a massive occasion that we must embrace and enjoy.
“It is a challenge we can get excited about.
“We must stay in our reality and execute our game plan.”
The 31-year-old said every opportunity you get to play against the All Blacks is a massive opportunity.
“We are playing against the No.1 team, and as a player and a team, you want to measure yourself against the best to see where you are and if you are still on par.
“I’m excited, having never played at Eden Park before.
“I’ve heard many great things about it, so I’ll be thrilled if I get the opportunity to play this weekend.”
Asked about the fact that the Boks have not enjoyed much success at the iconic stadium, where they last played in 2013 (losing 15-29 against New Zealand) and have only won twice in a century – the last time being in 1937 – Kolbe said the past is history.
“There’s nothing we can do about that.
“All we can do is focus on what we can do now, and whoever gets the chance to play needs to go out there and enjoy the occasion.
“A lot can change in a season, and the main things for us is to continue improving and developing as a team.”
(WATCH as Springbok wing Cheslin Kolbe and flank Marco van Staden speak about the Rugby Championship crunch match against the All Blacks at Eden Park…..)
Flank Marco van Staden shared his teammate’s sentiments.
“For us, any Test is a big match,” Van Staden, who has never faced the All Blacks in New Zealand, said of the Auckland face-off.
“Our plans for every Test are different because every team you play against is different.
“This is a big occasion, so we are preparing as best as we possibly can for the match.
“Any opportunity to play in the Bok jersey is massive, but this one is special.
“It is a special venue,” he said of Eden Park.
He added that they will be leaning on the experience of the few players who have played at Eden Park before – Eben Etzebeth, Willie le Roux and Siya Kolisi.
Etzebeth and Le Roux started in the Boks’ last visit, a 15-29 loss in September 2013, while Kolisi played off the bench.
“It’s a significant venue for the All Blacks,” Van Staden said, adding: “Anything we can learn from players who have faced New Zealand [at this venue and away] in the past, we’ll definitely take to heart and learn as much as we can.”
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