Ex-Springbok: Cheslin Kolbe has ‘changed everyone’s mindset’ in rugby

Few players in modern rugby have reshaped the way the game is viewed quite like Cheslin Kolbe.

Once considered too small for the professional era, the former Springbok winger has not only defied long-held assumptions about size and power, but has also forced coaches, players and selectors to rethink what truly wins matches at the highest level.

When an ex-Springbok recently remarked that Kolbe has “changed everyone’s mindset,” it was less a compliment and more a statement of fact.

For decades, elite rugby especially in South Africawas dominated by a belief system rooted in physicality. Bigger was better.

Heavier packs, towering wings and crash-ball centres were seen as essential for success. Skill and speed mattered, but only when paired with size.

Players like Kolbe, standing around 1.71m and weighing barely 80kg, would traditionally have been dismissed long before reaching Test level.

That he not only made it, but became one of the most influential players in world rugby, represents a fundamental shift in thinking.

Kolbe’s rise was not straightforward. Early in his career, even as he dazzled at youth and domestic levels, doubts persisted.

Could he handle the physical demands of Test rugby? Would he be exposed under the high ball? Could he survive defensively against much larger opponents? These questions followed him into professional rugby and even into the Springbok setup.

Yet every time he was given an opportunity, Kolbe answered in the same way: with performances that changed games.

What sets Kolbe apart is not just his pace or footwork, although both are exceptional.

It is his complete skill set and rugby intelligence.

He reads space better than almost anyone, anticipates defensive errors and exploits them in an instant.

His stepping ability has embarrassed some of the biggest defenders in the game, proving that agility and timing can neutralise brute force.

In doing so, he has redefined what “physicality” means showing that evasion and acceleration can be just as devastating as raw power.

Perhaps the most mindset-shifting aspect of Kolbe’s impact is his defensive work.

Smaller players have often been labelled as defensive liabilities, especially on the wing. Kolbe shattered that stereotype on the biggest stage.

His try-saving tackle on England’s Maro Itoje in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final remains one of the most iconic moments in Springbok history.

It was a single act that symbolised his entire career: courage, technique and commitment overcoming a massive physical mismatch.

From that moment, it became impossible to argue that size alone determines defensive effectiveness.

Kolbe has also influenced how coaches approach team balance and selection.

Modern rugby increasingly values versatility, and Kolbe embodies this trend.

Comfortable on both wings and at fullback, and even capable of stepping into playmaking roles, he offers tactical flexibility that coaches crave.

His success has encouraged selectors to take more risks on dynamic, multi-skilled players rather than defaulting to traditional prototypes.

At club level, particularly in Europe and Japan, Kolbe’s performances reinforced the global nature of this mindset shift.

Whether in Super Rugby, the Top 14 or international Tests, his impact translated across competitions and styles.

This consistency dismantled the argument that his game was suited only to certain conditions or systems.

Instead, it highlighted a universal truth: rugby intelligence and skill travel well.

For younger players, Kolbe has become something even more important a symbol of possibility.

Aspiring rugby players who might once have been discouraged due to their size now have tangible proof that there is a place for them at the top.

Development pathways are slowly adapting, with greater emphasis on skills, decision-making and athleticism rather than purely physical metrics.

In this sense, Kolbe’s influence extends far beyond his own career; it is shaping the next generation.

The ex-Springbok’s comment about mindset also reflects a broader evolution in South African rugby.

Traditionally proud of its physical dominance, the Springbok identity has expanded to include creativity, unpredictability and flair, without sacrificing toughness.

Kolbe fits perfectly into this modern Springbok modelstill defensively strong and tactically disciplined, but with an attacking spark that can change a match in seconds.

In the end, Cheslin Kolbe has not changed rugby by talking or theorising.

He has done it the only way that truly matters: by performing, consistently and decisively, at the highest level.

Every sidestep that beats three defenders, every high ball he safely defuses, and every brave tackle on a much larger opponent chips away at outdated assumptions.

That is why it is fair to say he has changed everyone’s mindset.

He has proven that in modern rugby, heart, skill and intelligence are not just complements to size they are often more important.