Siya Kolisi will be the first black player to captain South Africa in a rugby Test match after taking up the role for the upcoming series against England.
Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi and Lood de Jager of South Africa sing the national anthem before the Rugby Championship game between South Africa and New Zealand at Newlands, 2017. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2017 www.photosport.nz
Kolisi had already become the first black player to temporarily captain South Africa in a Test last year when Eben Etzebeth was injured.
Another black player, Chiliboy Ralepelle, captained a South Africa team against a World XV in a 2006 game that didn't have Test status.
Kolisi becomes the first black player to be officially appointed Test captain in the Springboks' 127-year history.
The 26-year-old flanker grew up in a poor township in South Africa's Eastern Cape province before being spotted by rugby scouts and earning a scholarship to one of the top schools in the region.
He made his debut for the Springboks in 2013 as a fifth-minute replacement and was named man of the match.
The Stormers back-rower got the job in the absence of previous skippers, loose forward Warren Whiteley and lock Eben Etzebeth, who have both been ruled out through injury.
The 26-year-old Kolisi will not be considered for Saturday's international against Wales in Washington, however, with Stormers teammate Pieter-Steph du Toit wearing the armband for that fixture.
Coach Rassie Erasmus announced an extended squad of 43 players for the June Tests on Saturday and suggested he would take a number of fringe players to face Wales in the United States.
"It's a huge honour to captain the Springboks and Siya and Pieter-Steph are two honest, hardworking men who enjoy the respect of their fellow players," Erasmus said in a media release from South African Rugby on Monday.
"I believe both of them will do a good job as captains. My philosophy is that each player must take responsibility for his position and must therefore work extremely hard with that one goal in mind -- to make the Springboks successful again."
The Springboks host England at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 9 June, before matches in Bloemfontein and Cape Town on the following Saturdays.
- Reuters
