News24 | Meet the man who taught Siya Kolisi about rugby and kickstarted his career by getting him into Grey

Eric Songwiqi, Siya Kolisi's first rugby coach and retired principal of Emsengeni Primary School in Zwide, Gqeberha, where the Bok captain started his schooling career.

When he saw the tiny boy who wanted to play rugby, never did he imagine in his wildest dreams that this very same boy would one day become a Springbok player, let alone the captain of the national team.

But what Eric Songwiqi definitely knew was that little Siya Kolisi had all the other qualities of an excellent rugby player even if his stature was small.

Kolisi was disciplined, humble, well-mannered and, most importantly, "God-fearing".

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