Cheslin Kolbe has revealed that he is targeting a return to sevens rugby in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games after finishing the current French season with Toulouse.
Kolbe was speaking after scooping French publication Midi Olympique‘s prestigious l’Oscar Monde Player of the Year award for 2019 on Monday. Previous winners include Irish scrumhalf Conor Murray and former Argentina flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez.
‘To get this award it is really special. There are so many legends of the game that have received this award,’ Kolbe said. ‘For me to be one of them, I am really grateful and honoured.
‘Obviously I am going back to Stade Toulouse now. I always want to represent my club and country with pride and play the best rugby that I can. This is a game we are blessed to play and we are fortunate to make a career out of it.
‘I want to be a European champion with Toulouse and we can maybe do it this season,’ Kolbe added. ‘This is my next goal, with the one, I hope, to represent South Africa with the national team at sevens at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.’
Kolbe last played sevens in the 2016-17 World Series and was part of the Blitzboks team that finished with a bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
#OscarsMidol | @Cheslin_Kolbe11
Fier d’avoir remporté l’Oscar Monde 2019
Fier d’avoir remporté la #RugbyWorldCup
Et tellement heureux d’avoir apporté tant d’espoir à son paysTout ça avec une immense humilité digne des plus grands Champions@StadeToulousain @Springboks pic.twitter.com/0DQfsC4qLU
— Midi Olympique (@midi_olympique) November 18, 2019
Photo: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
