'Something special': Springbok legend explains why Kolisi was destined to lead

The former Springbok lock, who was part of South Africa's 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning team, recalled his first encounter with Kolisi during a Springbok jersey handover and said he immediately saw something different in the future captain.

“He stood up and spoke, and you could see the respect he had for an older player and how genuinely appreciative he was of me giving my time, and he had humility,” Andrews told the Big Men Talking podcast.

"He just had that something special I saw then.

"Being an Eastern Cape boy made me prouder and I think Rassie chose him as captain not because he was a black player. He chose him because he was the best captain that he had. The fact that he was an African, a Xhosa boy, was just a bonus, and he has been magnificent."

Kolisi made history in 2018 when then-coach Rassie Erasmus appointed him as the first black African to lead the Springboks, ahead of their series against England.

He has since established himself as one of the most successful captains in South African rugby history, guiding the Boks to consecutive Rugby World Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023.

Andrews also highlighted Kolisi's continued competitiveness on the field, stressing that he offers the Springboks far more than just leadership and experience.

"Every time people write him off... You look how he played in the All Black series – the carries he made, the tackles he made – he was just huge."

Andrews also drew parallels between Kolisi and Francois Pienaar, the captain who led South Africa to their maiden Rugby World Cup triumph in 1995.

"As much as Francois was an incredible leader for us in '95 and we needed someone like him to hold us together, Siya has done the same thing," he added.