Cheslin Kolbe has faced some of the most destructive players in world rugby, but one Springbok legend stands above the rest when it comes to the hardest hit he has ever taken.
The two-time Rugby World Cup winner has revealed that former South Africa star Frans Steyn was the player who hit him hardest during his career.
Kolbe, who recently returned to South Africa after spells in France and Japan, came up against Steyn during their Super Rugby days.
Speaking about the encounter, Kolbe told TimesLIVE that the experience left a lasting impression.
“The hardest player that I’ve been smoked by was definitely Francois Steyn,” said Kolbe.
What made the encounter even more memorable was that Kolbe had grown up watching Steyn.
He was just 14 when Steyn helped the Springboks win the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, establishing himself as one of the game's brightest young stars.
Years later, the pair found themselves on opposite sides in Super Rugby, with Kolbe representing the Stormers and Steyn playing for the Sharks.
Before the match, Steyn approached the younger winger during the warm-up.
“He spoke to me, and I was like, ‘He’s won a World Cup; he’s done excellent things,’” Kolbe recalled.
However, any admiration quickly disappeared once the game started.
“I just found it quite weird that he came to speak to me before the game not knowing what he had in store for those 80 minutes, and he was all over me.
“I think after the game I had two broken ribs just from him smashing me.”
Another All Blacks powerhouse
Steyn wasn't the only player Kolbe singled out.
The Springbok flyer also named former All Blacks winger Julian Savea among the toughest opponents he encountered.
Speaking separately to The Citizen, Kolbe highlighted his battles with Savea during their Super Rugby careers.
“Another player who was tough to come up against, and it wasn’t at Test level, was Julian Savea at the Hurricanes in Super Rugby,” he said.
“At his prime he was up there with the best wingers.”
Savea built a reputation as one of the most destructive backs of his generation, scoring 46 tries in 54 Tests for New Zealand.
Kolbe has since developed an extraordinary reputation of his own, becoming a key figure in South Africa's back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023.
The 32-year-old recently reached his 50th Springbok appearance and remains one of the most dangerous attacking players in Test rugby.
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Cheslin Kolbe: 5 things you might not know about
5. He grew up around gang violence
Kolbe grew up in Kraaifontein, near Cape Town.
Life there could be tough. Gang violence and gunfire were part of the area where he spent his childhood.
Kolbe has spoken about having to run from danger when rival gangs began shooting.
Despite his success, he has kept a strong bond with where he came from. As detailed in this profile of Kolbe’s life and career, his upbringing played a huge part in shaping him.
4. His dad could have been a rugby star
Sport runs in the Cheslin Kolbe family.
His father, Andrew, was a talented inside-centre who played club rugby for Hands and Heart.
However, he played during apartheid. That limited the opportunities available to non-white South African players.
As a boy, Cheslin would go along to watch his dad. He also joined in touch rugby games with the adults, something he has discussed when looking back on his childhood.
3. His cousin is an Olympic legend
Cheslin Kolbe isn't even the only world-famous athlete in his family.
His cousin is Wayde van Niekerk, the Olympic 400m champion and world-record holder.
The pair grew up together and even played in the same school rugby team.
They also raced each other on the athletics track. Years later, both competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
2. His first move abroad left his wife in tears
Kolbe moved to France with his wife, Layla, and their baby daughter in 2017.
The change was difficult at first. Neither spoke French, and they had no close family nearby.
Kolbe later recalled one of their first trips to a supermarket. They couldn't understand the language, and Layla became so overwhelmed that she burst into tears.
He shared the story while speaking about the challenges his family faced overseas.
1. His son almost didn't recognise him
Family played a huge role in Kolbe's decision to return to South Africa.
His wife and children had spent long periods away from him while he played in Japan.
Cheslin Kolbe revealed that he once returned home after six months apart. His young son, Cayden, almost didn't recognise him.
The moment hit Kolbe hard. In an interview about his return to Cape Town, he explained how being away had affected his family.
It helped convince him that it was time to come home and spend more time with his wife, children and parents.
