Byrhandre Dolf's special flight with Springbok ace Cheslin Kolbe has put a pep in her step

When you’re a fleet-footed stepper yourself and you’re lucky enough to be seated next to Springbok ace Cheslin Kolbe on a flight, you have to try and take advantage of the situation.

And this is exactly what Springbok Women fullback Byrhandre Dolf did after she was booked next to the double World Cup winner on a flight from Johannesburg to Gqeberha, where the men’s and women’s teams will be in action against Italy and Canada respectively on Saturday.

Imagine Dolf’s joy when the Bok Women and Springboks traveled on the same flight on Sunday, and she found herself seated next to Kolbe.

What made the flight even more special was that Dolf was flying back to the province where she started her rugby journey, playing touch rugby with the boys in the streets of Kariga (formerly known as Uitenhage).

Those games taught Dolf how to step past bigger opponents, hence her dream to meet Kolbe, who has perfected that art on the rugby field. And her dreams came true on Sunday.

“We talked a bit of rugby, and he gave me some stepping tips,” Dolf said in an SA Rugby press release.

Dolf scored a wonderful try against Canada in the first Test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, where she plays her provincial rugby for the Bulls Daisies. But now she is back home and hoping to turn on the magic at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Not only will Dolf run out onto the field with the Springbok on her chest on Saturday, but she will also be playing in the green and gold in front of her family for the first time.

Special moments indeed, especially doing so in front of her grandmother, Lizzie Jantjies, with whom she lived since the age of eight.

“It was such a great feeling to be back. Rugby takes you to many places, but it also takes you away from home a lot, so for me to come back here was such a great feeling,” the fleet-footed utility back said after the Bok Women completed their second training session of the week, focusing squarely on a better result than the 50-20 defeat suffered in Pretoria.

“My grandmother is going to be there and see me play and that is special, as well as other family and friends.”

And who knows, after the Kolbe stepping tips, it may also be a special day for the spectators.

Supplied by SA Rugby