| Intro | South African rugby union footballer | ||||
| Is |
Athlete Rugby union player |
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| From | South Africa | ||||
| Type | Sports | ||||
| Gender | male | ||||
| Birth |
28 October 1993, Kraaifontein, City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa |
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| Age | 27 years | ||||
| Star sign | Scorpio | ||||
| Stats |
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| Sports Teams |
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Cheslin Kolbe (born 28 October 1993) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and for Toulouse in the Top 14 in France. His regular position is wing, but he also plays at fullback.
Kolbe was a member of the South Africa Sevens team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He was a member of the South Africa team that won the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Playing at right wing, he scored South Africa’s second try in the final minutes of the final. Kolbe was nominated for 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year but lost to South Africa teammate Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Career
Youth level
Kolbe played for Brackenfell High School. He represented Western Province at various youth levels, from the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2009 to the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship. .
Sevens
Between 2012 and 2017, he represented the South Africa Sevens team. In 2013, he was included in the squad for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
South Africa Under-20
In 2013, he was included in the training group that toured Argentina in preparation for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship. He was then included in the squad for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship.
Western Province
He made his provincial first class debut in their Vodacom Cup match against Boland Cavaliers. and a month later he was named on the bench for the Stormers for their Super Rugby game against the Sharks.
In October 2014 he was part of the Western Province team that won the Currie Cup by beating the Lions 19-16.
He penned a three-year deal to remain at Western Province until 2016.
2016 Summer Olympics
Kolbe was included in a 12-man squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He was named as a substitute for their first match in Group B of the competition against Spain, with South Africa winning the match 24–0.
Toulouse
Kolbe moved to France to join Top 14 side Toulouse for the 2017–2018 season. Kolbe received a call-up to the South Africa national team for the 2018 Rugby Championship. He made his debut for South Africa against Australia on 8 September, during Round Three of the competition, coming on in the 33rd minute as an injury replacement for Makazole Mapimpi, in a match that South Africa lost 18–23.
In June 2019 Kolbe started for Stade Toulousain in the Top 14 final winning the French Championship.
International career
Kolbe made his test debut in 2018 and played a part in Springboks winning the 2019 Rugby Championship. On 2 November, Kolbe was part of the 2019 World-Cup winning team in Japan, scoring a try late in the second half of the Final against England.
Test Match record
- As of 3 November 2019
| Against | P | W | D | L | Tri | Pts | %Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 100 |
| Australia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 100 |
| France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Italy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 100 |
| Japan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 100 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 37.5 |
| Scotland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Wales | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 40 | 67.86 |
Test tries (8)
| Tries | Opposition | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | Wellington, New Zealand | Westpac Stadium | 2018 Rugby Championship | 15 September 2018 | Won 36–34 |
| 1 | New Zealand | Pretoria, South Africa | Loftus Versfeld | 2018 Rugby Championship | 6 October 2018 | Lost 30–32 |
| 1 | Argentina | Salta, Argentina | Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena | 2019 Rugby Championship | 10 August 2019 | Won 46–13 |
| 2 | Japan | Kumagaya, Japan | Kumagaya Rugby Stadium | Test match | 6 September 2019 | Won 41–7 |
| 2 | Italy | Fukuroi, Japan | Shizuoka Stadium | 2019 Rugby World Cup | 4 October 2019 | Won 49–3 |
| 1 | England | Yokohama, Japan | International Stadium Yokohama | 2019 Rugby World Cup Final | 2 November 2019 | Won 32–12 |
Personal life
Kolbe is a cousin of South African track and field sprinter Wayde van Niekerk, who won the gold medal in the 400 metres at the 2016 Olympics.