Sidestepping the Odds: Springbok Rugby Icon Cheslin Kolbe Set to Release Memoir in 2026
Cheslin Kolbe was never supposed to be a professional rugby player. As a young boy growing up in Kraaifontein, he was consistently the smallest child on the rugby field. Time and again, coaches doubted his capability and selectors overlooked him, dismissing him as too light and too fragile to withstand the collisions of top-tier rugby.
Where others saw his physical size as a permanent limitation, Kolbe saw a defining challenge. Refusing to let other people’s measurements define his worth, he actively sought out opponents who were bigger and stronger. While being knocked down taught him the force of the game, getting back up showed him that true courage could outsize any opponent. He learned to move quicker and to read the game faster, proving that rugby demands far more than size – it is driven by heart, focus and belief.
Now, at 32 years old, Kolbe stands as a double World Cup winner, a European champion, a double French champion, and was honoured as the 2024 SA Men’s Rugby Player of the Year. Talk about a glow up!
With all these sporting achievements under his belt, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for the Springbok star to announce the upcoming release of his memoir. Pan Macmillan South Africa announced the upcoming publication of Cheslin Kolbe: Sidestepping the Odds, in early August with the book scheduled for global release in October 2026.
Written in collaboration with award-winning writer and broadcaster David O’Sullivan, the highly anticipated memoir by Springbok rugby icon Cheslin Kolbe promises to be more than a record of sporting triumphs. It is an intimate look at the profound impact of family, community and deep faith that shaped one of the most admired and inspirational players of his generation.
Cheslin Kolbe: Sidestepping the Odds charts an extraordinary trajectory from the streets and school fields of Kraaifontein to the grandest stages in world rugby. The memoir follows his inspiring journey through Western Province, the Stormers, Toulouse, Toulon, Japan, and ultimately to the pinnacle of international rugby with the Springboks.
A winning collaboration
To bring his life story to the page, Kolbe has partnered with well-known South African journalist David O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan is a writer and award-winning broadcaster whose seasoned career includes covering news and sport across major platforms including SABC TV, Capital Radio, 702, Hot919, PowerFM, and KayaFM. O’Sullivan is also the co-author with Rassie Erasmus of Rassie: Stories of Life and Rugby, the bestselling memoir of the Springbok coach.
David O’Sullivan comments on the process: ‘It has been eye-opening and inspiring to work with Cheslin. This book shares his story of perseverance and courage – from growing up in Kraaifontein to reaching the greatest heights in world rugby as a double World Cup winner, and one of the most admired players of his generation.’
Cheslin Kolbe: Sidestepping the Odds will hit bookstores nationwide in October 2026.
