Old foes on the field, and friends off it, blindside flankers Pablo Matera and Siya Kolisi will lead their respective teams when they play against each other in Buenos Aires. Picture: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said he was excited to play his first Test of the season, and more so because it will be against familiar foes in the Argentina line-up. Kolisi missed the first three Nations Championship Tests due to a hamstring strain, but is now one offive Springbok playersset to return from injury in their one-off Test in Buenos Aires on Saturday night (kick-off 9.10pm).
The others are Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Morné van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. In the build-up, coach Rassie Erasmus said Kolisi was theone player he was least worried aboutfinding his feet again – the 35-year-old being no stranger to injuries, and making returns before the 2019 and 2023 World Cups. “I feel good,” Kolisi said, adding that his hamstring felt strong after two weeks of training.
“I’m excited. I just don’t want to put any pressure on myself. I want to go out there and do what I can do, just play my part in the team.” He said he expected a tough game, so no additional motivation was needed.
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Still, it was good to return will players had had played with for a long time. On the opposite side of the field, fellow blindside flanker Pablo Matera will lead ayoung Argentine sidefeaturing four debutants against the Springboks. “Pablo and I kind of started at a similar time.
He’s someone I respect very much,” Kolisi said. “He’s an amazing player. He can fight at the breakdown, and he can carry the ball very well. Kolisi said it was always a challenge playing against a leader like that, who loved his country.
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