Their struggle is my struggle - Kolisi on backing women's game

Siya Kolisi poses with the Italy team while attending the Japan v Scotland and South Africa v Australia double-header in Cape Town last week

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi says he and other male stars have both a moral duty and a personal interest in growing the women's game.

Kolisi attended matches and helped out in training during South Africa's WXV campaign in Cape Town over the past few weeks.

He wore the Springbok women's shirt, posed for photos with them and opposition players and spoke to Wales' squad at their hotel after prop Sisilia Tuipulotu contacted him over social media.

"Where I come from when someone struggles, you help," he told The Good, The Scaz and The Rugby podcast.

"The girls are playing the same sport as me and they need help right now, so I go and help. That is how I was raised.

"Without my community I wouldn't be here, without my grandmother and my aunt I wouldn't be the person I am today.

"So when you have a platform, it is how many people can you take with you? It is not just about you."

South Africa are playing in the second tier of WXV and will complete their campaign on Saturday against Italy, following a win over Japan and defeat by Australia.

Crowds for some matches have been disappointing, with only a few hundred spectators in the 55,000-capacity DHL Stadium for Wales' game against Australia on the opening weekend.

However, attendances have been better for the hosts' games with Kolisi estimating that he was one of 4,000 spectators for the 33-26 defeat by the Wallaroos.

Kolisi says the tournament has provided the teams with valuable playing time and exposure that can help the whole sport.

"WXV is so important - it creates more opportunities," he added.

"For us as men, we have three games in June or July, then the Rugby Championship and then another three or four at the end of the year tour - it might be 13 games.

"The more time we spend together, the better we get, and that is what they [Springbok women] need.

"If we help the women's game grow, it means rugby is growing, more are playing and exposed to rugby - we are all benefitting and eating out of that."

Kolisi also urged corporate sponsors to consider the mutual benefit they can create by investing in the growing women's game.

"It is easy to give to someone who has already made it, that everyone knows about," he said.

"But imagine being the sponsor who has backed the women from the beginning - when they make it and you can talk about the journey you have travelled."