“The ankle has healed up really well and it’s good to be back on the field with the boys and getting some grass under the boots,” the Bok speedster said.

“I’m thankful and blessed for being injured for only a short period of time, so I’m confident and ready.”

Kolbe was flanked at the media conference by livewire scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, who also declared himself 100 percent fit and available for selection for Sunday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final clash against hosts Japan in Tokyo.

The match is the hottest ticket in town – eclipsing three other mouthwatering quarter-finals – and Jantjies, the youngest and least experienced player in the original squad, is aware that it will be a special atmosphere.

“I don’t think you can ever prepare for it [feverish atmosphere],” Jantjies said.

“It’s going to be packed, but what’s important for us is just to stay in the moment and not let any of that get to us. I think the difficult thing is going to be to communicate on the field but I am sure we will fix that.”

Kolbe meanwhile was asked to comment on – as well as being compared by Japanese media with – the hosts’ dynamic and diminutive wings, South-African born Kotaro Matsushima and Kenki Fukuoka.

“He [Fukuoka] is a very good plyer; he has a lot of speed and he is powerful and explosive,” said Kolbe.

“I played against him at the Rio Olympics and watched him play there as well. He is a really good all-round player but what happens on Sunday is going to be about the team that wants it most; that’s not desperate, but that’s willing to leave everything out on the field.

“It’s an exciting challenge and we’re definitely looking forward to it – and I’m sure that everyone who plays this weekend will be up for the challenge.

“I played against Matsushima back in 2012 in the Under-21 Currie Cup in South Africa, so I know what type of player he is. I know he loves to run with the ball and just have a lot of freedom.”

Their shared height profile was also a subject of interrogation: “There’s a saying that dynamite comes in small packages, but we all have something special that we can contribute to our various teams,” said Kolbe.

“Both the Japanese wingers are currently playing really phenomenal rugby, but I think that’s what we have to do as players within a national team – it’s just to give the best you can out on the field.

“Japan is definitely playing an exciting brand of rugby. They are giving the ball a lot of air and they want to stretch your defensive structures. It’s a style I love to play as well but us as a team we have our own structures and our own plan that we would want to implement, each and every week.

“They love to give the ball air but we just have to make sure that we cut down options to force them into structure.”

However, if the Springboks get an opportunity in broken play, Kolbe will be hoping the ball comes his way: “I love to have ball in general play and have one-on-one opportunities and create as many opportunities as possible - not for myself - but for the players around me.

“But there’s a lot of different situations in a game where you have to be the best in every ability that you can; when it comes to high balls, defence, running with ball in hand so you have to make sure that your all round play is really up there and that you’re mentally and physically prepared.

“But I enjoy running with ball in hand, whenever I do get an opportunity, I’ll make sure that I keep on having fun.”