South Africa’s rugby captain nominated for top award
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – There could be a cherry on top of South Africa’s rugby captain Siya Kolisi’s fairytale year as he has been nominated for the BBC Sports Star of the Year award.
Kolisi, the first black captain in South African history, has been selected alongside Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge, Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles, golf legend Tiger Woods, Australian cricketer Steve Smith and USA women’s footballer Megan Rapinoe.
After leading the Springboks to a historic 32-12 victory over England in Japan in October in the World Cup triumph, Kolisi also accepted the World Rugby Team of the Year award on behalf of the national side.
Kolisi, who grew up in a poor Eastern Cape township, dedicated the historic victory to the people of South Africa.
"We have so many problems in our country, but a team like this, we come from different backgrounds and different races. We came together with one goal, and we wanted to achieve it. I really hope we've done that for South Africa. It just shows that we can pull together if we want to achieve something," he said.
During the apartheid era, blacks were barred from representing the Springbok team. However, when Nelson Mandela swept into power on a ticket of racial reconciliation, he celebrated the country’s first ever World Cup victory in Johannesburg in 1995.
–0– PANA CU/MA 11Dec2019
