Kolisi will have to navigate choppy waters at the Sharks

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has – once again – become one of the most talked about local players.

Kolisi, who has been the face of Bok rugby ever since the World Cup triumph in Japan in 2019, has been strongly linked with a move to the Sharks from Western Province where he has played all his senior rugby.

Kolisi’s close friendship with Vincent Mai, a member of MVM Holdings who bought a 51% majority partnership in the Sharks, is believed to be the main reason for Kolisi’s possible move to Durban.

The Bok captain however has also been in the spotlight following a number of below-par and injury-prone performances ever since the World Cup and questions have been asked whether he is still the best option to captain the Boks in future.

The Boks though haven’t played a match since their victory in Japan so making a call on Kolisi now isn’t the smartest thing to do.

However, only one South African captain has managed to take the Boks to back-to-back World Cups and that was hooker John Smit in 2007 and 2011.

The other captains were only in charge in one campaign, namely Francois Pienaar in 1995, Joost van der Westhuizen in 1999, Corne Krige in 2003 and Jean de Villiers in 2015.

In this year’s Super Rugby Unlocked competition and Currie Cup campaigns Kolisi was hampered by injuries – ranging from his knee to hamstring niggles which ultimately saw prop Steven Kitshoff acting as the Province and Stormers skipper.

If Kolisi were to head to Durban he would also most likely not take over as captain, or be guaranteed a place in the team. Currently the Sharks have a very popular and successful leader in centre Lukhanyo Am, who has also been earmarked as a future Bok captain.

And talking of incumbents, the regular Sharks opensider is now Dylan Richardson, who has successfully made the transition from hooker to flank and is regarded one of the finds of the season.

Kolisi however has always had the backing of national director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, who gave him his first professional contract at Province at the age of just 18.

The first thing Kolisi will have to do though should he end up in the black and white jersey of the Sharks is prove his fitness, because without a strong and firing body it doesn’t matter where the Bok skipper is based.

Kolisi’s “new” career at the Sharks might therefore be far from plain sailing.

Rudolph Jacobs

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