Cape Town – Springboks captain Siya Kolisi has highlighted the respect between South Africa and New Zealand, describing the fierce rivalry with the All Blacks as one that extends beyond the rugby field.
Kolisi shared a series of photographs on Instagram on Friday, September 25, featuring several All Blacks players, including captain Ardie Savea, as he reflected on the relationship between the two teams.
“Battle for 80min and respect always after @allblacks 🇿🇦 🇳🇿,” Kolisi wrote.
He accompanied the message with a reference to Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Among the photographs was one of Kolisi with Savea, who is a close friend of the Springbok captain. Kolisi also shared a picture of himself carrying Savea’s daughter, as well as photographs involving Peter Lakai and Beauden Barrett.
Savea responded to Kolisi’s post with: “Love it ❤️🤞🏿.”
The post comes after the Springboks and All Blacks completed their four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series earlier this month, with South Africa winning the series 3-1 after a 43-28 victory in Baltimore.
The rivalry has been accompanied by several displays of friendship and respect between players from the two teams.
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Kolisi and Savea have developed a close relationship away from rugby, despite regularly facing each other as captains of two of the sport’s biggest rivals. Their friendship has previously been highlighted as an example of how fierce competition can coexist with mutual respect.
The 2026 Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour was built around that balance, with the official tour describing the relationship between the Springboks and All Blacks as one defined by both rivalry and respect.
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Picture: Instagram / Siya Kolisi
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
