Racial quotas in the Springbok selection process are still a regular subject of rancour but Kolisi is living proof of their ongoing validity and usefulnessThere are people who believe Nelson Mandela died years before he really did, who swear they remember reading about his funeral in the 1980s, hearing it on the radio, even watching it on TV. It is such a common mistake that the phenomenon’s got its own name: the “Mandela effect”. Time was when that phrase would have carried very different connotations. It might have described Mandela’s galvanising influence in moments such as the 1995 World Cup final, when he famously dressed in François Pienaar’s spare Springbok jersey to present the South Africa team with the Webb...
Joe Cokanasiga will bring bulk to England’s backline and Billy Vunipola does the game a good turnAlready it seems likely Joe Cokanasiga will win his first England cap this autumn and the smart money would be on him doing so against Japan in the third match of the series. He has impressed since his move to Bath and Eddie Jones has been eager to add size to his backline for a while now, taking Cokanasiga on the 2017 summer tour of Argentina. Against Exeter on Friday, Cokanasiga showed how devastating he can be when finishing a second‑half try, albeit ruled out, but the 20-year-old’s inexperience was also exposed by Exeter, particularly for Don Armand’s try. England do not want for...
A year from the World Cup, New Zealand look good for a hat-trick of titles but Ireland, South Africa and Wales are all on the rise with England and Australia heading in the other directionDefeat by South Africa in Wellington reminded the world that the All Blacks can be beaten – no bad thing with 12 months to go until the World Cup – but they are still the overwhelming favourites for a third straight win. They were not brilliant against France over the summer but then thrashed Australia twice, displaying an ability to find a gear their opponents cannot live with. It will be fascinating to see their response to defeat; do they add a dose of pragmatism to...
The fly-half took a leaf out of Barry John’s book to unleash a perfect kick to the corner for Jonny May to score and seal a third-Test victory over South Africa at NewlandsThe venue for Danny Cipriani’s first Test start for a decade was fitting. Newlands was hosting what may turn out to be its final international and the England fly-half had a last opportunity to salvage his Test career. The conditions were ideal for England, a saturated pitch ensuring a slow game in which Chris Robshaw could act as a mop, but not for Cipriani, who could have been forgiven for trying too hard in an attempt to impress Eddie Jones. He did not touch the ball for the...
England captain’s strident approach to the referee Roman Poite contrasted with the cool mien of South Africa’s Siya KolisiLeadership is one of sport’s intangibles. Eddie Jones caused a stir when he made Dylan Hartley his first captain, given the hooker’s less than exemplary disciplinary record, but it was an astute choice as England’s problems without him emphasise.England’s 2015 World Cup had ended after they had failed to engage with the French referees in their matches against Wales and Australia and one of Hartley’s qualities was getting officials to listen to him and he was always unfailingly polite and deferential. Owen Farrell was in one sense a natural successor to Hartley, a player who makes himself heard, but they are contrasting leaders....