South Africa has a bigger purpose than winning trophies, with a major social responsibility on the Springboks' shoulders, captain Siya Kolisi said ahead of Saturday's Rugby World Cup semifinal against England at the Stade de France.

Kolisi's status as the first black Springbok captain has ensured widespread support across South Africa’s disparate communities for a side that in the past was a hated symbol of the country's apartheid era.

He stressed that their cause at the tournament in France is heightened by the difficulties of many of their fellow citizens.