The ultimate collection of super heroes

BOOK REVIEW: What do Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Faf de Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe and Handre Pollard have in common?

Yes, of course, they are all double World Cup winners!

However, they are also part of an engrossing collection of books.

The exciting set of six titles, called Ultimate Springbok Heroes, is designed for young readers.

Yet, the older generation will also find these titles fascinating to read.

Despite being short paperback books of only 90-odd pages, each read gives you a different take on the already well-documented stories of six real-life heroes.

We all know how a young Kolisi had to endure rats crawling over him at night as he slept on cushions in a shack in the Zwide township, near Port Elizabeth, and the many nights he went to bed with an empty stomach.

The most decorated captain in the history of the Springboks did not even speak English when he arrived on a scholarship at Grey High.

This and many other fascinating facts are contained in the book.

Etzebeth, now the most capped Springbok of all time, played wing until his penultimate year at school, before moving to lock. That is a well-known fact.

However, which international teams has Etzebeth never lost against?

The most famous quote about Du Toit was that uttered by Bok coach Jacques Nienaber after the 2023 World Cup Final.

“If there is a plastic bag blowing across the field, he would chase that down as well,” Nienaber said of the Malmesbury Missile, who made an astounding 28 tackles and won a Man of the Match award in the Springboks’ epic 12-11 win over the All Blacks at Stade de France in Paris.

And he does not hide the fact that he drew inspiration from his famous grandfather, also named Pieter Stephanus du Toit. Piet Spiere was, unlike Pieter-Steph, a prop in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Then there was that famous, expletive-laden speech in the Bok dressing room at the World Cup semifinal in Paris in 2023.

More interesting is what happened when he found his grandfather’s old boots.

Pollard is Mister Reliable, with his calm demeanour and composed game management.

There was a fractured eye socket, suffered in the World Cup Final, that resulted in him missing the first four days of the Springboks 2023 trophy tour.

Despite being labelled as a predictable, dour flyhalf, he has embraced All Black Tony Brown’s addition to the Bok coaching panel.

“I really enjoy Tony. He is a breath of fresh air,” Pollard said.

Kolbe, initially dismissed as ‘too small’ is now one of the most iconic figures in the game.

It was that step that left Owen Farrell flat-footed in the 2019 World Cup Final that silenced the last few obstinate critics.

De Klerk is another inspiring story. Unable to make any representative sides at school, he never gave up on his dream of becoming a Springbok.

Through sheer determination, he not only made the Boks but is a double-World Cup winner.

Children who have similar dreams, will benefit from reading these books and finding out what saw them overcome the odds!

TITLE: THE ULTIMATE SPRINGBOK HEROES FROM SCHOOL TO TEST RUGBY
CATEGORY: Sports LANGUAGE: English
SIZE: 195 x 125mm
PAGES: 90-odd
FORMAT: Paperback Full Colour cover
PRICE: Set of six titles: ZAR595 / Single titles: ZAR130

* Order from DON NELSON PUBLISHERS: don@donnelson.co.za / lucinda@donnelson.co.za. Also, available online retail stores and various book shops.