Sharks captain Siya Kolisi came in for some flack this week following his decision not to go for poles at the end of their United Rugby Championship match against Leinster.
With the Sharks 10-7 behind and only seconds left on the clock, Kolisi decided to kick towards the corner flag and to try and for the win instead of the draw that would have come with a successful kick off the tee.
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In the end, the Sharks ended up losing the match after they couldn’t get their maul going as they did for their try earlier in the match when Bongi Mbonambi barged over the line.
The penalty kick at poles for the draw could have given the Sharks just one extra point, as they got a losing bonus-point anyway. But the win would have given them four points in a great boost going into their European Challenge Cup assignment against Lyon this weekend.
But, the crux of the matter is that Kolisi is a proven winner, who doesn’t settle for things like a draw. If he feels there is a chance to win, he is going to go for it. That is the mentality of a double Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok captain.
Kolisi has a great track record as a clutch decision-maker. As the Springbok captain who led South Africa to back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023, and has overseen high-pressure moments in the green and gold jersey.
His instinct to push for victory aligns with a winning mentality that prioritises ambition over settling for a safer outcome.
Opting for touch and a potential match-winning try via a lineout maul, reflected his confidence in the team’s execution under pressure. Kolisi’s choice leaned on the team’s physical strengths, particularly their maul, which had already proven effective earlier in the match.
Sharks coach John Plumtree, backed the intent, even if he admitted he’d have preferred the poles. Plumtree noted the decision was Kolisi’s to make on the field, highlighting the autonomy given to a leader of his caliber.
“I don’t like losing so I probably would’ve preferred to go for the posts, but it was Siya’s decision on the field; he wanted to go for four points [for a win],” Plumtree said. “It cost us one point, him not doing it, but if we scored then there would be a different conversation.
“Frustrating that we got held up, the Irish are masters at stuffing your ball up in those types of moments.
“It’s feeling the moment, you know, and often the players feel different out on the park than what we feel in the coaches’ box. So, they felt like they could do it.
“Bongi scored off the back of a maul earlier, that would’ve still been on Siya’s mind as well. We just didn’t execute it.”
The Sharks’ failure to execute the maul doesn’t necessarily make it the wrong call. Kolisi’s gamble was rooted in a belief in his team’s ability to seize the moment, a trait that’s defined his career.
Kolisi will always back himself and his teammates. And, since 2018, he has earned the backing of all South African rugby fans to do what he feels he must do to get the job done.
@JohnGoliath82