Siya Kolisi Addresses Injury Concerns and Reveals if the All Blacks Clash Could Be His Last Test
- Springboks captain Siya Kolisi spoke to reporters on Friday ahead of Saturday's Test against the All Blacks at Cape Town Stadium
- The 35-year-old superstar has managed only two appearances and 70 minutes of rugby in 2026 due to recurring hamstring trouble
- Kolisi drew on Pieter-Steph du Toit's injury journey as a source of strength while reflecting on his own mental battles during recovery
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Springboks captain Siya Kolisi has opened up about the psychological demands of battling back from injury, declaring himself fit and ready to lead South Africa against the All Blacks in Saturday's Rugby Championship clash at Cape Town Stadium.
Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of the highly anticipated Rugby's Greatest Rivalry fixture, Kolisi acknowledged that his 2026 season has been significantly disrupted by hamstring issues, restricting him to just two appearances and 70 minutes on the field for the world champions. His latest niggle was serious enough for Pieter-Steph du Toit to be named as stand-in captain during the week, with flanker Paul de Villiers on standby had Kolisi failed to gain clearance.
Kolisi on mental battles during injury
When reporters asked whether repeated physical setbacks had prompted him to consider the end of his career, the two-time World Cup winner deflected with characteristic humour. "I'm still young, Brannas [Deon Fourie] is older than me!" he said, before turning more reflective.
"I don't think like that at all, especially with the captaincy. I want to be in the team and I want to play. As long as God still allows me and I can recover from an injury," Kolisi said.
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He was candid about the psychological weight that comes with time on the sidelines.
"The injury itself is never the problem. It's just all in your mind. The battles that you have to fight, that's the hard part. You can sit there and think about those things: 'Am I going to get the opportunity again?'"
Kolisi pointed to Du Toit, who has suffered two ACL ruptures and at one stage faced the prospect of losing his leg, as a figure who helped him keep perspective. "Tomorrow he'll run out for his 100th Test. You draw strength from that," Kolisi said, recalling visiting Du Toit in hospital during one of those dark periods.
Kolisi backs squad rotation philosophy
On his current physical condition and the squad management approach that has defined this Springbok era under Rassie Erasmus, Kolisi was positive.
"I'm feeling strong, and our medical team has been really good. I'm happy to be back and being able to play this game," he said.
He also defended the rotation policy, which has drawn public criticism at times.
"When a team is selected, the public might say, 'Oh, this one is convenient and this one shouldn't [be selected]'. We're not in that mindset. We're sticking to our own reality, and I think that's helped us a lot."
Kolisi added that collective purpose outweighs personal ambition within the squad. "You have to surrender your own dreams and goals and put them aside, because we're not only playing for each other, but we're playing for the whole of South Africa."
Saturday's Test at Cape Town Stadium gives the Springboks an opportunity to level the four-match series at 1-1 following last weekend's result.
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Source: Briefly News
