PARIS, France -- About 30 seconds before he walked on stage clutching the Rugby World Cup at the Stade de France, Siya Kolisi's singing was audible over the noise. Reporters could hear him singing all the way to the news conference.
In a sport of numerous subplots, narratives, interpretations and personal significance, Kolisi somehow finds a way to bring a universal meaning to this bizarre game we love. For the second World Cup running, he was left holding the small gold pot, becoming the second captain in the competition's 36-year history to lift it twice.
He has sung his whole way through the tournament. Booming out the anthem, head tilted back, eyes to the sky, straining every sinew for "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika". He had already started singing by that point in most matches, in the tunnel leading up to the game, sometimes he would be there singing "Shosholoza," switching his balance from left to right in nervous excitement.
Out of Kolisi's many strengths, he finds a way to bring clarity. Because somehow in the midst of the game's uncertain future, the debates over season structure, the long-term fears over the sport's impact, he manages to find and project universal joy through the power of the sport.
Kolisi's story is incredible and inspirational. "His entire journey epitomises the South African dream, striving through the difficult things, what other people would call impossible," Jean Kleyn said.
From growing up in poverty in Zwide in South Africa's Eastern Cape to teenage parents, looking after his siblings, uncertain where his next meal was coming from, to becoming the first Black captain of the Springboks and running The Kolisi Foundation.
"For a guy like Siya [Kolisi], coming from where he did in Zwide... wow, no doubt in 20 years, there will be a lot of Siya Kolisis," Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said.
"It is like a fairytale story when you talk about Siya, but it surely does change people's lives. Siya has shown these youngsters that whatever their background, it is possible. If you have your head in the right place, if you have a goal, just keep chasing it. We are very proud of what Siya has achieved."
Kolisi himself perennially deflects from his own individual significance, instead always talking about the importance of performing for the country and bringing together the place of 62 million people, talking 11 different official languages.
"The kids at schools are sending us clips of them singing because they know some of us like singing," Kolisi said before the semifinal. "People at work on Fridays are wearing their green jerseys, anything that is green. We see that and that will continuously be our motivation. The majority of the people in our country are unemployed and some have no homes. For me, giving up and not giving everything would be cheating."
This World Cup marks the end of a chapter for Kolisi and the Springboks. Some of their great players like Duane Vermeulen are in the final throes of their career. Kolisi, 32, is preparing his new life in Paris for Racing 92. But it's also the last time this group of coaches will work together: Jacques Nienaber's off to Leinster, Rassie Erasmus is contracted through to 2025. It was their final tournament together.
Kolisi first met Nienaber and Erasmus at the Western Province academy. "It hasn't been an easy journey," Kolisi said. "I can't believe what we've achieved today. The coaching staff have been ridiculous. I have worked with Jacques since I was 17-years-old. I couldn't tackle. When him and Rassie [Erasmus] used to come to training it was full contact. You had to show that you could do this."
"Since then, how he used to motivate us in games," Kolisi continued. "We grew up around him -- me and Frans [Malherbe], Steven Kitshoff and Pieter-Steph [du Toit]. He cared about us as people. He asks, 'are you going to let your daughter down, your son down?' It became far deeper than just a rugby game."
At this point as he spoke, Kolisi turned to Nienaber, in front of the couple of hundred assembled press, and spoke directly to his coach. "Jacques, honestly, it's been a huge honour for me and a huge privilege, and your wife and the kids... I appreciate you. We love you as a team, not as a coach, but as a person. You've taken it to another level. The way you speak to us -- it's not 'make a big hit, make a tackle', you talk to me as a person, as a father, a husband, as a son, it goes such a long way so thank you. We honour you as a team. All the best. They will be lucky too have you wherever you go."
All the while Nienaber, never one to go overboard or let his voice rise in public, kept a gaze just past Kolisi, almost as if he knew if he made eye contact, it would be too much emotionally.
It was a remarkable World Cup for the Boks. They pushed the limits of innovation with their traffic light system, the decision to take a scrum off a mark, and then there was the 7-1 split on the bench. But innovation aside, what anchored this team was their incredible mental strength. Their three knockout wins were all decided by one point: they defeated France 29-28, England 16-15 then New Zealand 12-11.
"Coach Rassie said great things are never achieved in ideal conditions, and this wasn't ideal conditions for us as a group," Kolisi said. "Playing the home team in their home country was one of the hardest things to do and obviously when we played the last game against England, which was tight, we had to fight and today as well, no different."
The secret behind how they managed to swing those matches in their favour? Family.
"The motivation was everything from home and our families," Kolisi said. "The coaches created an environment for us where we can be with our families no matter where we are, it feels like we are home. There are 15-20 kids running round the hotel. It's one of the greatest things they could have done for us.
"People also from South Africa, some of our friends, they've used their savings to come and watch us. For me not to give my 100% on the field would be cheating all those people and that's what the coaches always remind us of. The motivations for us, we don't have to look far."
Post-match, Kolisi said: "There is so much going wrong in our country -- we are the last line of defence."
Kolisi's on-field World Cup was one of defensive work. His carries were few, instead he embodied their mental and physical resilience.
"He is a superstar to the people and to the communities but for us he is a friend to us, just a normal person who enjoys a silly joke or just some stupid laughter," Eben Etzebeth said. "People talk a lot about him off the pitch, but what they don't see on the pitch is the work rate and what a difference he makes to get to those breakdowns. It's incredible. The unseen work, his work ethic. He is an underrated player for what he does for us the team."
Underrated? Perhaps a stretch. Underappreciated? Never. The sport will never have another player like Kolisi.
"At the last World Cup the country was hopeful that maybe there was a chance we could win it and what transpired afterwards was the belief between this team," Kolisi said. "There is not a lot of things going right in our country and we have the privilege to be able to do what we love and inspire people in life, not just sports people.
"Where I come from I couldn't dream I could be here today. We come from different walks of life. I had my own goals and ambitions. I want to look after my family, I want to give back to my community.
"You need to come and see South Africa to understand. When we come together nothing can stop us, not just in sport but also in life."