[imagesource:here]
There are plenty of people around the world who have Siya Kolisi’s signature.
Chances are there’s only one who has it on a Speedo, which he happened to be wearing at the time in front of a packed house at Murrayfield.
Perhaps only Faf de Klerk is in with a realistic chance of rivalling him.
Footage of Siya signing a man’s Speedo went viral on Saturday, following our 30-15 win over Scotland.
He may have been robbed of a World Rugby Player of the Year nomination (along with Eben Etzebeth and Lukhanyo Am – Samu Kerevi, really?), but Siya is more popular than ever.
In case you missed it, here’s the clip in question:
Gotta love @SiyaKolisi – the People’s Captain…and playing PROPER RUGBY 🏉 at the moment…! Well played @Springboks #SCOvRSA #Springboks #Rugby pic.twitter.com/0WtsDK3HKZ
— Dave Nosworthy (@DONCRICKET) November 13, 2021
Just to drive the point home, listen to the crowd going wild during his post-match chat with the media:
They love him, we love him, and Jack Denton loves him.
Denton, who was born in Zimbabwe but schooled at Kingswood College in the Eastern Cape, has been a fan since his schoolboy days.
EWN had a chat with Denton:
“So essentially, I am a MASSIVE Siya Kolisi fan and have been for some time as he obviously went to school just down the road at Grey PE and I actually remember him playing at schoolboy level! So, for a while I’ve wanted his signature.”
Denton, who now resides in Edinburgh working as an engineer at a whiskey company, said the stars aligned and on the eve of the Autumn Nations Series clash, he saw Kolisi walking on the street with a former teammate…
Denton spotted the Bok skipper and Dillion Leyds walking together, told Siya of his plans to bare it all, and said he would love a signature after the final whistle.
Naturally, Siya obliged:
Denton said excitedly: “At the game, I waited for the opportune moment and jumped on the chair and with the help of some other fans, screamed for Siya. He was amazing and acknowledged me within seconds that he was going to come. From then on, it was a bit of a blur to me but I have been describing the bum tap like “fresh summer breeze to the tushie.”
Never has a bum tap been described in more fitting terms.
Denton believes part of the reason behind the crowd’s warm reaction to the Boks was due to us pummelling Scottish arch-foes England in the 2019 World Cup final.
Just the 20 points.
Day 745 of 1 449 as world champions.
Denton also has a connection to the Scottish side with his brother David winning 43 caps for Scotland, one of which was Siya’s Springbok debut.
He’s not done with his autograph hunting yet:
So, who’s next on the autograph list for Denton? “The clear answer would have to be Faf [De Klerk] – he is the man who bought the Speedo to life and it would only seem right. I wouldn’t trade Siya’s signature for the world though.”
That resolve might be tested. There’s already talk of a R50 000 bid, but Denton says he intends to frame the Speedo and keep it forever.
I’d flog it for the right price, although no money can ever buy the feeling of that “fresh summer breeze”.
[source:ewn]
