WATCH: Cheslin Kolbe discovers surprising new side to his game
When people speak of Cheslin Kolbe’s feet, the first thing that springs to mind is his footwork and sidestepping game, which is one of the very best, if not the best, in the world. Not very often is it his kicking game- but that is criminally underrated.
Yes, the Springbok’s kicking has drawn headlines in the past, notably his 50 metre drop goal in the 2021 Top 14 final, but it is still not a part of his game that he is recognised for. But his performance against Benetton Treviso in the Challenge Cup semi-final on Sunday and the Stade Mayol showed how well rounded he is.
In a match where Toulon saw flanker Charles Ollivon sent off in the opening ten minutes, field position and territory where going to be crucial and therefore Kolbe’s kicking game came to the fore. Starting at fullback, the 29-year-old helped keep his side in the right areas of the field throughout the match.
The most impressive thing though was that he showed how strong his kicking game is from both feet. Now while some of the elite halfbacks in the game, like Antoine Dupont, have the ability to kick well with both feet, it is not necessarily something expected from a player like Kolbe. But he showed this surprising strength on Sunday as Toulon came away with a 23-0 victory. Take a look at his highlights:
Kolbe was making his first appearance for Toulon since spraining his ankle against Lyon at the end of March. This is not only promising for Toulon for the remainder of their season, where they not only have the Challenge Cup final against Glasgow Warriors but are also looking strong in the Top 14, but also for South Africa, who have fitness concerns of their own with captain Siya Kolisi facing a fight to be fit in time for the World Cup later this year.
