Springbok captain Siya Kolisi proved that he is not just a fan favourite in South Africa but abroad as well after he won the praise of Irish and Australian female rugby players.
The popular player made an appearance at the Bok Women’s game against the Wallaroos at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 5 October.
Sadly, the SA side lost 26-33 to Australia.
SIYA KOLISI CALLS ON MEN TO SUPPORT FEMALE RUGBY PLAYERS
Donning a Bok Women’s rugby shirt, Siya Kolisi revealed that he showed up to support not only the local squad but women in sport in general.
The Springbok captain told SuperSport: “Women have been supporting us for a very long time. We all play and represent our country, and they deserve the same support that we get.
“As men, it’s our duty to intentionally be there at games, training and helping out. If the women’s game grows, we all grow and benefit”.
Siya acknowledged that women’s sports did not have a huge fan base but encouraged the public to play their part.
He continued: “Women have worked so hard, and they don’t have many supporters overseas. The quality of rugby that is being played here is huge and amazing. All they want is support. We need to pitch up and enjoy.”
Last month, Siya Kolisi had fans in tears when he dedicated the Boks victory against the All Blacks, in light of the 30th anniversary of democracy, to all those who had yet to experience freedom.
For the father-of-two, this meant victims of poverty and gender-based violence.
He said, “It’s 30 years of freedom; I want to say congratulations to South Africans. But we still know there are many people who are still not free. Hopefully, the next celebration we celebrate is the women who are free of Gender-Based Violence.”
He added: “Let’s celebrate but [remember] that there are so many people who are not free yet.”
IRISH, AUSTRALIAN PLAYERS FULL OF PRAISE
On social media, the Wallaroos were full of praise for Siya Kolisi who stopped to take pics with the players.
“The things we like to see,” their social media account captioned a heartwarming video.
On the X app, the Irish Women’s squad also thanked the South African captain for his support.
It tweeted: “He’s not just showing up; he gets it. He understands his influence, the value of comradery, and the value of being vocal and present.
It added: “Would love to see our men show up like this.”
