“This time, people were expecting.”

The final whistle blew, signaling that the Springboks had managed to hold onto their World Cup crown, and Siya Kolisi dashed onto the Stade de France ground.

As the second person to lead his nation to consecutive World Cup victories, Kolisi equaled the legendary Richie McCaw. Following their defeat by Ireland in the pool stages, the Boks have embarked onto a mission. They realized that they couldn’t make the same mistakes twice. They just would not lose again, even when it was close.

Kolisi gave two amazing post-match interviews, one to ITV and the other to the global broadcast, following his team’s thrilling 12-11 victory against New Zealand in the championship game in Paris. Talking to Jill Douglas on ITV while putting his arm around one of his

“We wanted to restore the Springbok name in the last World Cup. People expected it this time around.

“There is so much that is wrong in our country,” he said. There is a lot of divide in our nation, but this squad demonstrates what can be accomplished when individuals of many races and backgrounds come together to form the last line of defense.

See the impact that year’s World Cup victory and South Africa’s first-ever victory had on our nation’s sports scene. Without them, as well as the ones who came before me, I would not be here today. “Those who enabled individuals of my race to participate in sports.”

Faf de Klerk, who had a fine game in the 9 jersey, echoed the comments of his captain. He said, “Hopefully this shows what unity and team-work can do… if we can come together like this, it can be a better country, and be a better world.”

Siya Kolisi on the spirit of South Africa

“There are no ways I can explain it,” Siya Kolisi said when asked how it felt to win the World Cup twice in a row.

“I would want to acknowledge the All Blacks. They led us to the very end and into a shadowy area. Fighting with a man down early in the game demonstrates the type of squad they are. They exert a great deal of pressure on us. I must also commend my lads for their struggle. I’m simply happy we were able to pull it off.”

With a straightforward “We had to,” Kolisi explained how his side prevailed.

“We lost our hooker [Bongi Mbonambi] in the early part of the game and we had to adjust to that. They put a lot of pressure on our lineouts but somehow we found a way.

“Those who are not from South Africa are unaware of the implications for our nation. It goes beyond the game. Our nation endures so much. All we can say is that we are thankful to be here. I would like to express my gratitude to the people of South Africa. This squad only demonstrates your abilities. Whatever the domain—in the workplace or in the field—when we collaborate, anything is achievable and demonstrates our capabilities. This team has my gratitude and my utmost pride.”

South Africa have now contested eight World Cup tournaments since returning to the international fold, after the end of the Apartheid regime. They have won four of them.