Reuters May 26, 2023 02:29 ET2 Minute indicator
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi picked up a knee injury while playing for the Sharks and is in a fitness race ahead of the 2023 Rugby World CupDavid Rogers/Getty Images
South Africa is confident captain Siya Kolisi will be fit for the World Cup after knee surgery last month and will give him as much time as possible to be ready even if he misses the opening games.
Kolisi suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while playing for the Sharks against Munster in the United Rugby Championship last month, but South Africa manager Jacques Nienaber says his recovery is “on target”.
He said Kolisi is on track to be fit for the World Cup, which begins in France in September and where South Africa will defend the trophy Kolisi won in Japan four years ago.
“You will remember that Siya was also injured at the time and did not play most of the time leading up to the tournament. He didn’t lead the team when we won the rugby championship that year and from what I remember he only played out.” “He sat on the bench for our last warm-up in Pretoria before we left and then played in the game that we played against Japan in Japan two weeks before the start of the tournament,” Nienaber said at a press conference on Thursday.
“We’ve seen this before and we know that Siya can play at a World Cup and lead the team well, as was the case in 2019.”
South Africa’s rugby director Rassie Erasmus said he hoped Kolisi might even be ready for one of the warm-up tests against Argentina, Wales and New Zealand.
Given his important role for the team, Kolisi will have time until the tournament to prove his fitness. “He’s our captain,” Erasmus said. “We’re doing this because he’s the captain. Even if he misses the first game against Scotland,” said Erasmus.
South Africa will continue their preparations for France next week with a camp in Pretoria and will nominate a squad of 32-35 players following Saturday’s URC final between Stormers and Munster in Cape Town.
A fortnight later, the final squad for this year’s rugby championship will be drawn up as the Boks take on Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.
South Africa will open the defense of its World Cup against Scotland on September 10 in Marseille.
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