Siya Kolisi: Winning the World Cup in 2023 was bigger than 2019

Jim Smith (0:00)

Hello, everyone, Big Jim here. I just want to say a big thank you to all the listeners and all of you maulers and brawlers. That's right, we're building a bit of a community now. So thank you for the support on Maul and Brawl. We're looking to build out a wider range of Maul and Brawl over the next year. Looking at some cool merchandise as well, whatever cool means, but looking at some t-shirts slash rugby jersey, cool ones, you know, the really cool ones. You don't, because there's none out there yet. But Maul and Brawl will be providing that very soon. So if you're looking for that dark honey and tobacco scent, then head over to maulandbrawl.com. If you've been mauling in the bedroom and brawling in the streets and you need a freshen up, that's right. Head to maulandbrawl.com and Maul and Brawl is for you. Maul and Brawl for men. That's Maul and women as well. Women can obviously wear it and use it. Dark, honey and tobacco. Love it. Right, now on to this episode. It's from the Walk and Talk, the slow Walk and Talk series I've been doing. We've said that we're going to make them into podcasts as well. Otherwise, it's just a waste. The full video episode of this will be up on Ruby Pass TV. Some amazing content that we are producing. I say we, mainly it's the team. I'll just do The Big Jim Show. I've got the easy gig in amongst that. But Ruby Pass TV is the place to be. This episode is going to be up there. The full video. This episode. What episode is it, though, Jim? Well, I'll tell you what it is. There's no bigger name in the world of rugby. He is back to back World Cup winning captain. There's only one man. Well, there's a couple. That's the man of the moment. It's the great, the powerful Siya Kolisi. This is The Big Jim Show.

So, we're the great Siya Kolisi, yes. The king.

Siya Kolisi (2:34)

No, never.

Jim Smith (2:35)

In Paris. In Paris. How are you enjoying it, mate? Is it a welcome change to the chaos in South Africa? Good chaos.

Siya Kolisi (2:45)

It's amazing, not chaos, it's the best. I love South Africa. And obviously, it's a big difference, you know? Two different worlds come here. But I am enjoying it.

I am trying to adapt as best as I can. The language is pretty hard. I think that's the most difficult thing, is the language for me. But people have been really helpful. And we found a home and school, the kids are slowly starting to settle. My son is picking up French more than anyone else in the family. So yeah, been good.

Jim Smith (3:22)

Yeah, I say a kind of welcome break from the chaos, but where your profile is now in South Africa and off the back of everything that you've done, back to back captain, World Cup wins. Is it a little bit of a relief coming to somewhere like Paris where you can go out and about and do your own thing as a family as well?

Siya Kolisi (3:43)

It's hard. It's hard to actually say that because it's like at home, like people, when people see us, they, it's different. It's not like just being friends, like they're not being friends. They, it means so much more for what we did as a team, you know, for the country, with the missed and all the tough things that happened in the country. When they see us, they're walking amongst the people, we do our own shopping and all that kind of stuff. See us and they're like, you know how happy they get? And it's different. It's not, it means so much more, you know?

So I do miss that, but it's also, this is the different experience where you walk where nobody knows who you are and you go to the store and you go to restaurants and all that kind of stuff. We can do all of that, but it's not saying it's better than being at home because I know people, yeah, we just mean something different for the people at home. Yeah.

Jim Smith (4:47)

And the ambition of coming to Rass in 92, I mean, being in the training center, it's obvious the players that have gone before. I know there's a big club, been in three finals, haven't quite won it, but the ambition, I suppose, of a club like this, was that a big draw?

Siya Kolisi (5:05)

Well, when I was spoken to my wife before, when we were young, I said, I always, if I could play anywhere in the world, I would love to play in France. And I have connections to the club.