Cheslin Kolbe

Cheslin Kolbe

Kolbe playing for South Africa in 2024
Date of birth	(1993-10-28) 28 October 1993 (age 30)
Place of birth	Kraaifontein, South Africa
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight	75 kg (165 lb; 11 st 11 lb)[1]
School	Hoërskool Brackenfell
University	University of the Free State
Notable relative(s)	Wayde van Niekerk (cousin)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing / Fullback / Fly-half Current team Tokyo Sungoliath Youth career 2009–2012 Western Province Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2012–2017 Western Province 43 (65) 2013–2017 Stormers 49 (74) 2017–2021 Toulouse 82 (172) 2021–2023 Toulon 30 (50) 2023– Tokyo Sungoliath 8 (25) Correct as of 24 May 2023 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2013 South Africa U20 5 (10) 2015–2016 South Africa Sevens 30 (113) 2018– South Africa 38 (101) Correct as of 17 August 2024
Medal record Representing  South Africa Men's Men's Rugby Sevens Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team competition Men's Men's Rugby 15's Rugby World Cup 2019 Japan Squad 2023 France Squad

Cheslin Kolbe (born 28 October 1993) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for Tokyo Sungoliath in the Japan Rugby League One and the South Africa national team.^[2] His regular position is wing, but he also plays at fullback. He has also recently featured at fly half for Toulouse in the Top 14, and as a scrum half internationally. Kolbe was a member of the South Africa Sevens team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He has won the Rugby World Cup twice with South Africa, in 2019 and 2023. Kolbe was nominated for 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year but lost to teammate Pieter-Steph du Toit. He previously played for Toulouse, Toulon, Stormers, and Western Province. He has also won the Rugby Championship and the Lions Series with the Springboks, the Top14 and Champions Cup with Toulouse, the Currie Cup with Western Province, and the Challenge Cup with Toulon. He is one of the highest paid rugby players in the world, with a reported salary of between ¥130–155 million yen per season.

He has scored 14 tries in 31 tests for South Africa. He is one of the fastest rugby players ever with a time of 10.70 for the 100m. Kolbe is famous for his outstanding defensive capabilities-despite his diminutive frame-and stunning stepping and speed, as well as power in contact. He made his debut for South Africa in 2018 in a 23–18 loss to Australia. He rapidly became more well known and was soon regarded as a world-class player.