World Rugby Awards - Pienaar (RSA) and Eales (AUS) on Siya Kolisi

Francois Pienaar, 1995 Rugby World Cup winning captain (South Africa)

On Siya Kolisi and South Africa's RWC 2023 victory

"Unbelievable. Siya is such an incredible human being and he has taken these opportunities to become probably the best South Africa captain in the history of South African rugby.

"Incredible how he plays, how he talks and how much he cares for rugby and for the people, and for South Africa."

John Eales, 1999 Rugby World Cup winning captain (Australia) and Hall of Fame Panel Chairman

On Siya Kolisi and South Africa's RWC 2023 victory

"It's quite amazing that we've only had two World Cup-winning captains in the last four Rugby World Cups, and Siya (Kolisi) and his team did it the hard way in many respects, winning by one point in each of those (knock-out) games.

"I remember watching that game (RWC final) from home back in 1995 as South Africa took on the All Blacks in the final at Ellis Park, and understanding what that win did for the country, and when John Smit lifted the trophy, when Siya has lifted it, you know that it will have a massive effect in South Africa. And you've got to be happy about that, when a team is playing for themselves and their families, but also playing for their nation. It's so apparent with the Springboks with what they have and you can feel how that was driving them on."

On Rugby World Cup 2023 as a whole

"The Rugby World Cup is about the top end, and we saw an unbelievably intense final yesterday, but it also has to be about all other levels of the game as well and when you see things like Portugal at the airport (returning to a heroes' welcome) and them winning that game against Fiji, you realise how much potential our game has got to touch so many people on such a broad scale."