By Adnaan Mohamed
This week, in the quiet hum of Springbok camp before the thunder of the tackling France at the Stade de France in Paris, Rassie Erasmus pressed play on a short video, and silence fell.
The clip came from Hamediehs Rugby Football Club (RFC), a 130-year-old Cape Flats institution that’s been a lifeline for generations of kids dodging the dangers of the streets. In it, a 13-year-old boy battles the daily storms of township life, poverty, violence, temptation, until he finds his refuge on the rugby field.
It’s not just a club. It’s an ark in a flood.
Featuring former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers, who mentors at Hamediehs, the video’s message “Rugby Saved Us” struck a chord deep within the Boks.
Erasmus, marking his 50th Test in charge, knew the story would speak louder than any team talk. When he showed it, the room grew still. Every player saw a reflection of their own journey.
“Salaam! (Peace), yes, that video is special for so many reasons,” said Siya Kolisi, preparing for his 100th Test as captain.
“In that clip we saw what club rugby does for kids in the community.”
Then his voice slowed, his words carrying the weight of lived truth.
“Rugby is more than just a sport to us. People say that, but for us, it saved us. It kept us from so many things we were never supposed to be exposed to as children.”
Kolisi knows the boy’s pain because he once was that boy, the kid from Zwide who found light in a muddy field, who rose from hunger to hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup in 2019 and again in 2023.
“To see that clip and know kids are still going through that, it hits deep,” he said.
“I’ve been given a platform, and it’s our duty to make sure we create a better tomorrow for those kids — to make it safer, to give them choices. That’s what rugby has done for me.”
For Kolisi, this 100th cap isn’t about records or medals. It’s about meaning.
“It’s not just about the trophies,” he said. “The trophies give us a platform to give back. This game isn’t about me, it’s for those kids at Hamediehs, for every boy and girl whose lives are changed by rugby.”
Erasmus, ever the innovator, often reminds his team that victory isn’t just on the scoreboard.
“Coach Rassie speaks about it all the time,” Kolisi added. “It’s not just about winning or losing. Our drive goes deeper. Rugby doesn’t just change lives for 80 minutes; it saves them from the things that can take their lives away.”
So when Kolisi leads the Boks onto the Stade de France turf on Saturday night, that Hamediehs boy, and every child who’s found safety in rugby’s embrace, will run beside him.
Because for Kolisi and the millions who see themselves in his story, rugby isn’t just a game.
It’s hope.
It’s family.
It’s the hand that pulls you from the storm.
Watch the video: Rugby Saved Us
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Teams:
France: 15 Tomas Ramos, 14 Damien Penaud, 13 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 12 Gaël Fickou, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Nolann le Garrec, 8 Mickaël Guillard, 7 Paul Boudehent, 6 Anthony Jelonch, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Régis Montagne, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Baptiste Erdocio.
Replacements: 16 Guillaume Cramont, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Dorian Aldegheri 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Hugo Auradou, 21 Oscar Jegou, 22 Maxime Lucu, 23 Nicolas Depoortère
South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Boan Venter.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Ruan Nortje, 21 Andre Esterhuizen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok.
Date: Saturday, November 8
Venue: Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Kick-off: 21.10 (22.10 SAST; 20.10 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) & Christophe Ridley (England)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
