Former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad understands, like few people do, the pressure that comes with captaining a team with sky-high expectations from a passionate fan base.
Speaking at a BKT URC round table event on Tuesday, Skinstad was asked for his opinion on who should captain the Springboks, with Siya Kolisi seemingly out of the running to start the 2024 season.
“I have thought about this.” Skinstad said, “ In the modern era, the role of captain is evolving so quickly that there’s always different factors.”
Race ready! 🏁@SiyaKolisi was in attendance at the Monaco Grand Prix over the weekend 🙌 pic.twitter.com/XjhDBQ7J1q
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) May 28, 2024
Of the current crop of experienced operators, Skinstad said that one player stands above the rest for him as the ideal leader.
“ I think you’ve got a fantastic shoo-in captain in Eben Etzebeth.
“I mean, he’s been involved in the senior leadership, he’s a fantastic leader anyway, and he’s aligned with Rassie, aligned with the coaches and aligned with what the Springboks want to achieve.
“He’s been involved in some very big games against Ireland and New Zealand recently and knows the level that you need to perform to deliver performances that win international test matches.
“So if I was looking for a least disruptive path and Siya is not available and not playing, etc, then for me he’s certainly a good option.”
Who would you pick as your next Bok captain with Kolisi unavailable? Is Etzebeth the front runner or will Rassie look at a young option? Let us know in the comments below.
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