This season, Reece James, an inexperienced captain for Chelsea, has looked to South Africa’s legendary rugby player Siya Kolisi for guidance.

During the international break, Reece James traveled to France to study under Siya Kolisi, the captain of South Africa’s rugby team that won the World Cup.

The World Cup-winning captain of South Africa, the Springbok, just accepted a contract with Racing 92, a team based in Paris. James, who was selected as Chelsea’s captain in the summer, is eager to learn from him because of his leadership qualities, which have transcended beyond his sport, according to the Evening Standard.

Although Kolisi had to overcome obstacles in his early years to reach the international scene, he received high appreciation for his leadership of the Springboks. He sat through news conferences during the World Cup campaign to support his teammates against criticism and matched that with incredible on-field performances.

The owners of Chelsea have been informed that they will ‘never be welcome’ at Todd Boehly’s new team.

Mauricio Pochettino gave James the armband after he graduated from the club’s academy, but James is now heading a Chelsea team that hasn’t performed well this year. The right-back understands he needs to inspire a young, inexperienced team as they sit in mid-table.

He has also turned to Thiago Silva, a defensive teammate who has been among Europe’s most reliable players for the past 15 years. James is eager to learn from him because he has been a towering presence at teams like PSG and AC Milan.

James was named the team’s captain by Pochettino, who earlier stated: “Why did I choose him as captain? Because of his personality, his leadership, the respect he has from the club and his team-mates and he has my full respect also. Chelsea is in his DNA and when you see the squad he is not only for the present, he is for the future and in this moment Chelsea need someone like that.”