"I Still Want to Be There": Siya Kolisi Eyes 2027 Rugby World Cup

• Springboks captain Siya Kolisi returned to the team this past weekend after being sidelined with a neck injury
• At 34, Kolisi has spoken about the prospect of playing in the next Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027
• Boks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick confirmed that it is not up to the coaches to decide when a player must retire

Springboks captain Siya Kolisi has spoken about the possibility of being part of the team that will aim to win the Rugby World Cup for the third successive time in a row in Australia in 2027.

Kolisi, who returned to the squad for the first time this past weekend in Mbombela against Georgia, had been sidelined from action due to a neck injury.

Kolisi, 34 will be relishing the thought of making history by doing what no other captain has done before, having already become the first black captain to lift the prestigious Webb Ellis Trophy in 2019.

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When did Siya initially want to retire?

He had initially spoken about hanging up his boots in 2023, but has since reconsidered. Now, just seven Tests away from reaching 100 caps, the dreaded moment of retirement has once again come to the fore.

What has made this conversation even more pressing is the context of his recent niggling injury and the fact that he was taken off just minutes into the Georgia game for a Head Injury Assessment (HIA), a moment that raised fresh concerns about his fitness levels.

At a time when coach Rassie Erasmus has been speaking candidly about the depth in his squad and the number of players at his disposal, the question arises: Does Kolisi still have a place in the team?

What did Siya say about retirement?

"My body feels good. It's all about seeing how it goes year by year and game by game. But that is the end goal. I still want to be there," he told reporters on Friday.

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When quizzed about his age by 2027, he spoke about the importance of staying fit, even at 36, and expressed a strong belief that the coaching, conditioning, and medical teams will play a pivotal role in helping him maintain his fitness.

What are the coaches saying?

Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick emphasised that it is not up to the coaches to retire any players. Rather, the onus is on the players themselves to stay fit and meet the appropriate performance requirements.

“It will be unfair to think that way of looking at the age of the players. We don’t have the right to do so. If he can still produce, we probably will select him.”

Springboks win against a tough Georgia

Briefly News previously reported that the Springboks defeated Georgia 55-10 in a match that began with an early scare for the defending world champions.

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Georgia struck first, taking a 7-5 lead and showing they were not intimidated by South Africa’s status as the top-ranked side. The Boks fought back to end up winning the game comfortably.

Source: Briefly News