Siya Kolisi pays special tribute to Springboks teammate

Du Toit won his 100th Test cap as the Springboks defeated the All Blacks 33-26 in Cape Town, becoming just the 11th South African to reach a century of appearances. 

The victory made the occasion even sweeter, with South Africa bouncing back from their opening-Test defeat to level the four-match series at 1-1.

Kolisi has now taken to Instagram to celebrate his long-time teammate, describing the two-time World Rugby Player of the Year as the “Malmesbury Missile” and praising the qualities that have made him such an important part of the Springboks.

“Congrats on this special day to you and your family,” Kolisi wrote on Instagram.

“You fought through all the trials along the way. Your mental strength and engine is second to none.

“Always an honour to play alongside you. Man of little words but lots of action.”

Kolisi also thanked Du Toit’s wife, Willemien, and their family for the sacrifices they have made throughout his international career, before signing off: “To many more my brother.”

His wife, Willemien du Toit, responded to Kolisi’s touching tribute in the comments, thanking the Springboks captain for his support throughout her husband’s career.

She wrote: “Thank you, Siya, for the special message. Thank you for being there with Pieter Steph every step of the way. It’s been such a special journey so far, and we’re so grateful to have you along for it.”

The response underlined the close bond between the two Springboks families, with Kolisi and Du Toit having shared some of South African rugby’s greatest moments together, including back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs.

But how many of their last 25 captains can you remember? Test your rugby knowledge and see if you can name every player to have led the Springboks in their most recent appearances.