'Nervous' Springbok skipper Kolisi helps Racing to Top 14 summit on debut

South Africa's two-time Rugby World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi said he had been nervous before tasting victory on his Racing 92 debut as they beat La Rochelle 32-10 in Paris to take over the number one spot in the French Top 14 table.

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A month after lifting the Webb Ellis Cup up the road at the Stade de France, 32-year-old Kolisi played 54 minutes at openside flanker as Racing claimed their sixth win after just eight games of the season to go above surprise package Pau.

"I was quite nervous before the game because your reputation and all that you do can only take you so far," Kolisi told reporters.

"The guys only respect you by what you do on the field and that's what I wanted to do, play well and add value with what I do on the field.

"It's going to be tough for me to stamp my authority but I'm going to give my best," he added.

#AfficheTOP14 - J8
Une victoire à 5 points pour les Ciel et Blanc de Siya Kolisi ???
Le @racing92 prend la tête du championnat grâce à ce succès ?

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Les détails de la rencontre ?? https://t.co/o4RualImS2 pic.twitter.com/f3hnhQPSA0

Champions Cup holders La Rochelle, coached by ex-Ireland flyhalf Ronan O'Gara, lost for a fifth time this campaign having played more than 50 minutes with 14 men after Teddy Thomas' red card.

Former Sharks back-rower Kolisi has become a poster boy for French rugby since the end of the World Cup featuring on television programmes and on the cover of newspapers.

Emblematic Kolisi's fame outside of the sport has also exploded having been a courtside guest at a Brooklyn Nets NBA match earlier this month.

A week ago he was booed by Stade Francais fans while watching in the stands but this