South Africa captain Siya Kolisi will lead the Springboks against England in the opening match of the Nations Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
The double World Cup-winning captain expressed deep respect for England flanker Tom Curry ahead of their openside matchup.
“He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever played against,” Kolisi said.
The two loose forwards share a long history of competing against each other at the highest level of international rugby.
“I remember since 2018, and then in the 2019 World Cup Final too. He is a special human being, and I love playing against him.
Tomorrow’s going to be no different,” Kolisi added.
When questioned about a previous controversial altercation between Curry and Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi during the 2023 Rugby World Cup semifinal, the South African leader noted he had moved past the incident.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” responded Kolisi.
He emphasized that dwelling on past events would detract from the team's immediate focus on the upcoming fixture.
“Many things have gone by and it’s a new game.
For us, if you’re going to be thinking about that then your mind wouldn’t be on the game, you know,” Kolisi explained.
Despite South Africa holding home-ground advantage and a superior world ranking, the skipper rejected assertions that the hosts are definitive favorites.
“We listen to our coaches, and we know what it feels like to be beaten,” said Kolisi.
He underscored that the team maintains a rigorous preparation routine and does not take success for granted.
“We never walk into any match feeling like we’re definitely going to win. If we did, we wouldn’t have prepared the way we prepared this week.
We’ve seen what England have done in Tests before, and we know the form they’re in, so we are in a strong mindset as a team.”
“Playing against them is always a big deal.
They always pitch up, and we’re excited because we know how big it’s going to be for them and for us as well,” Kolisi stated.
Addressing the external expectations placed on the reigning world champions, the flanker acknowledged that pressure remains a constant motivator.
“There’s always pressure. You’d be silly to feel comfortable.
But I think that’s what keeps us going,” said Kolisi.
Though England endured a difficult 2026 Six Nations campaign, the South African leadership group warned against underestimating the visitors.
“We’ve analysed them, and results-wise, I don’t think we can take too much from their Six Nations campaign because if you look at their last game against France, they almost won it in the final seconds, and France is one of the best teams in the world,” said Kolisi.
He recalled how close England came to eliminating South Africa in their previous World Cup encounter as a reminder of their tactical capability.
“They are going to be psyched up for this match and will pitch up physically.
They almost took us out of the (2023) World Cup in the semi-final, and something we learned from that game is that if you don’t execute your plan very well against England, they have the potential to punish you.
They are physically aggressive, even under the high balls.”
“So, whatever they’ve done in the past won’t matter. What will make the difference is if we pitch up.
We know they’re in a good mental space, and several players are in form for their clubs, so they’ll bring good energy.”
“If we don’t pitch up and execute in the set-pieces and in our kicking game, we’re going to be in trouble,” Kolisi stressed.
Reflecting on his career longevity, the 35-year-old revealed that he still experiences intense pre-match butterflies before representing his country.
“I think when the nerves and the butterflies go, that’s when it’s your time to stop,” said Kolisi.
The veteran loose forward views these emotions as an essential part of his competitive drive.
“I still feel the same as I felt in my first game. I’m always nervous,” Kolisi confessed.
To manage the pre-kickoff tension, he has developed a specific mental routine focused on finding tranquility before entering the stadium atmosphere.
“The closer I get to the game, I look for peace,” explained Kolisi.
He relies on music to help lower his heart rate and establish focus before switching into match mode.
“I just try to calm down because there’s nothing you can do that will get you more prepared.
I switch off and listen to my worship music just to calm myself because when you get closer to the game, you know you’re going to have to switch on,” said Kolisi.
The captain also highlighted how the leadership model within the Springbok squad has shifted to distribute responsibility across multiple players.
“I’ve been lucky because I’ve got guys that I’ve been playing with for so long, but also the new guys come with different ideas,” said Kolisi.
This collaborative approach allows every member of the squad to voice opinions during critical tactical stoppages.
“What I enjoy about this group is that everybody has a voice. Sometimes the people who haven’t been here for very long make us see things differently.
When there’s a stoppage, everybody brings their own points because we’re all leaders in this group.
If one person falls, nobody stresses because everybody has something to say,” Kolisi added.
He reiterated that the feeling of anxiety before running onto the field remains unchanged from his early days in international rugby.
“I’m still nervous every single time I play,” said Kolisi.
The captain noted that England features dangerous attacking threats like flyhalf Finn Smith and scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet, which requires absolute defensive discipline.
“We never walk into a Test match feeling like we are definitely going to win… Playing against England, it’s a huge test.
Their nine [Jack van Poortvliet] is strong in the contestable game. Finn Smith [flyhalf] can attack and their backs have shown that they can attack.
I have no doubt they would have worked hard at set-piece as well and they will be strong at that,” Kolisi warned.
The team is also highly motivated to avoid repeating a previous lapse at Ellis Park, where they surrendered a major early lead against Australia last August.
“I’m excited to play against him. Always a tough guy.
He’s one of the toughest I’ve ever played against.
Since 2018 [the last time England faced South Africa at Ellis Park] and 2019 in the final, he’s a special human being and I love playing against him,” said Kolisi.
He explained that the historical loss to the Wallabies occurred because the team drifted away from their structural game plan after an explosive opening.
“We know what happened against Australia. It wasn’t the tempo or anything like that.
We just went out of our system. We got carried away,” said Kolisi.
The team has identified those tactical errors to ensure they maintain tactical continuity throughout the full 80 minutes against the English squad.
“We just know how to correct it… We’ll know exactly what to do then,” Kolisi concluded.
