A rare honor. Siya Kolisi, the captain of the Springoks who achieved the global double at the last World Cup in France, has just been elected by the famous American magazine
Time
among the 100 most influential people in the world, in the “innovators” category. . The third row who now wears the colors of Racing 92, in Hauts-de-Seine,
“was the embodiment of hope at a time when many South Africans struggle to keep just one”
, salutes the magazine which has published this ranking since 1998.
And added:
“Through his wisdom and humility, Siya taught us what a powerful captain should be: someone who serves and inspires those he leads. And for him to lead a team in a historically white sport, to be loved and adored by fans of all races, is a huge accomplishment.”
The magazine article is written by his compatriot Trevor Noah – famous actor, comedian and presenter in the United States – who discusses the legacy of Nelson Mandela and emphasizes that
“Siya is a relentless warrior on the ground, but he is also a caring father, a loving husband and a great friend. He gave so much to a nation of 62 million people. I hope he enjoyed every moment of his success.”
“Everything is not fabulous all the time, sometimes it is hard. So sometimes I get sad, I cry."
Siya Kolisi reacted on her
account , saying:
“Being named to the 2024 #TIME100 list is an incredible honor, one that touches me deeply. It is a profound responsibility to stand alongside people who dedicate their lives to enriching others.”
In a long interview recently given to Le
Figaro
, Siya Kolisi spoke of his eternal communicative good humor. But he clarified:
“Everything is not fabulous all the time, sometimes it is hard. So, sometimes I get sad, I cry when I go home and it's not easy. I am a person like any other. I have the same emotions. When I'm sad, I try to make someone happy and that in turn makes me happy."
In March, South African coach Rassie Erasmus explained that Kolisi will lose the Boks captaincy as he now plays abroad.
“Siya is certainly still playing some of his best rugby, but I prefer my captain to be based in South Africa because it allows for more interaction,”
Erasmus said.
This is a unique situation. I think he'll play a few more Test matches, he certainly wants to, but we're not sure it will be as captain."