Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe’s Olympics plan on hold

It appears that Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe’s dream of winning a World Cup and an Olympic medal in fewer than 12 months has been dashed – it has emerged that Kolbe’s international club side Toulon refused a request from the Blitzboks to release him to play in the sevens team.

Kolbe, one of South Africa’s two try-scorers during the World Cup final against England last year, had hoped to run out for the Blitzboks during this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

But Neil Powell, the Blitzboks coach, said Toulon had refused to release him for the sevens tournament that will take place in Los Angeles in the US on February 29 and March 1.

According to Powell, even a meeting between Toulouse and Rassie Erasmus, South Africa’s director of rugby, proved fruitless.

“Unfortunately, we are not going to get Kolbe, so that makes it difficult to get him for the Olympic group,” said Powell.

He earlier warned the 15-man squad that they would have to play in this year’s World Rugby Sevens Series to qualify for the Olympics.

So far, Rosko Specman and Dylan Sage from the Bulls, Ruhan Nel and Seabelo Senatla from the Sharks, and Werner Kok – who is playing in France, but will play for the Sharks after the current season – have already played for the Blitzboks.

Powell’s plan was to involve Kolbe especially because of his lethal sidestep and his keen ability to beat any defender.

But the speedy fly half is such a sought-after player for Toulouse that they refuse to let him go.

Kolbe made his mark in Europe last year with his inclusion in the Top 14 dream team, and he was also named Top 14 player of the year.

The only player who has not yet worn a sevens jersey but who will still be eligible for the games is flanker Kwagga Smith. He is currently playing rugby in Japan.

At this stage, it seems likely that he will play for the Blitzboks in the tournaments in Paris and London because his commitments in Japan will be over by then.

For the tournaments in Los Angeles and Vancouver (March 7 to 8), the all-rounder Mfundo Ndhlovu will make his return, with few other changes.

Powell hopes that Ndhlovu will have recovered from an injury by then: “We really want to give him a chance; we believe he is a player who has a lot of potential.”

On Thursday, World Rugby announced that the tournaments in Hong Kong (scheduled for April 3 to 5) and Singapore (a week later) would be moved to October as a result of the risks associated with Covid-19, the coronavirus strain that broke out in China.

This decision has affected the Blitzboks’ preparations and they will have fewer opportunities to play ahead of the games.

It will also affect the way in which Powell can use his available player corps. Players like Kok have already concluded their Currie Cup contracts and will not be available for the tournaments in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Powell said that this complicated matters because he had relied on these tournaments taking place.

He said that the series in Vancouver, followed by a break of 10 weeks, and then two tournaments in London and Paris (both taking place in May), was not sufficient match time for players to prepare for the Olympic Games. The games take place from July 24 to August 9.

“We will have to find another tournament somewhere to make sure that we have enough match time before the Games,” he said.

Powell added that the postponement of the tournaments to October would make the season too long. He said the organisers should rather have moved the events to another location.

Another possibility being mooted is to hold an additional preparation camp ahead of the Games.

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