The Albany Gazette - Kolisi to hit Test century with his children watching

The 34-year-old -- who in 2018 became South Africa's first black captain and has led them to two successive World Cup titles -- will have gone a long way to achieving his goal of being "a role model" for son Nicholas and daughter Keziah.

Kolisi returns to the stadium where two years ago he led the Springboks to a thrilling 29-28 win over hosts France in the quarter-finals, dashing their dreams of winning the World Cup on home turf.

"These are the people that I see myself as a role model to," Kolisi in his eve-of-match press conference.

"It's him (Nicholas) and it's my brother. It's my sister and my daughter as well. So I always want to give my best.

"I always want to carry myself the right way. And I also want (Nicholas) to know it's possible for him."

Kolisi says he is delighted he can pay more attention to his 11-year-old son's rugby matches -- Keziah, he says, does not like the sport as much and on most occasions is more likely to "organise a date with friends" -- than his own father Fezakele was able to.

"It's special to have him here and share this experience with him," said Kolisi.

"He really loves the game and he loves to see me play. I tell him sometimes that my body is sore. He's like, no, you're fine. You can carry on playing.

"I tell him all the time that my dad never really watched me when I was young. So when I can go to his games too, it's really special.

"He's always looking if I'm watching and stuff."

- 'Totally different environment' -

Kolisi has travelled a long way from when he was sniffing petrol and drinking heavily as a young boy, and often went hungry, in the Zwide township in Port Elizabeth.

He overcame adversity -- aided firstly by his late grandmother and then he was selected to be the beneficiary of a bursary for under-privileged children at the prestigious Grey High School.

So he decided to help those who like himself were born into abject poverty, by creating the Kolisi Foundation in 2020.

Vincent Mai, the South Africa-born US-based businessman and philanthropist who launched the bursary, has flown in for Saturday's match.

Kolisi said he makes sure that Nicholas sees that away from the bright lights and the financial security his family now enjoys, life is tough for many.

"We grew up in a totally different environment," he said.

"But he knows I want to try and teach him as much as I can. There are more things in life than just being a sportsman.

"There are people who are going through a lot. So I take him when we do some foundation works so that he understands."

One of Kolisi's big regrets is that his grandmother did not live to see how his career had developed having died in his arms when he was a youngster.

He said whether it had been one or a hundred caps the feeling of being a member of the Springbok club was very special.

"It's a huge honour just to wear the green and gold jersey," he said.

"It's less than a thousand players who have been Springboks, if you think about it.

"So it's a huge honour. Not many people get to do this, but to wear it a hundred times is also like super special."

(A.Thompson--TAG)