Another injury blow for Boks captain Siya Kolisi as Racing suffer big defeat

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is likely to spend more time on the sidelines after picking up yet another injury, this time in his comeback match for Racing 92 after sitting out for more than a month with a different niggle.

The two-time World Cup-winner, who led the Boks to glory at the 2019 and 2023 World Cup tournaments in Japan and France respectively, left the field after just 22 minutes in Racing 92’s Champions Cup last-16 match in Toulouse on Sunday.

It was the flanker’s first game back after being out of action for more than a month following surgery on his right hand to repair a broken finger.

On this occasion, it looked as if Kolisi had hurt his right ankle, according to AFP.

Kolisi setbacks

Kolisi just made it to the 2023 World Cup in France last year after recovering from a knee ligament injury earlier in the season while playing for the Sharks in a match against Munster. Having hardly played in the build-up to the tournament in France he returned to the team and led the Boks to a fourth World Cup title.

Following the tournament Kolisi joined Racing from the Sharks.

Toulouse, who welcomed back flyhalf Romain Ntamack after an eight-month stint on the sidelines which ruled him out of France’s bid to win the World Cup on home soil last year, won the last-16 match against Racing 31-7.

It is not known what the extent is of Kolisi’s injury. The 32-year-old is also in doubt about leading the Boks this year because he plays his rugby outside of South Africa, with coach Rassie Erasmus preferring his team leader to be based in the republic.

The Boks take on Wales at Twickenham in late June and then return to South Africa for a two-Test series against Ireland, who they lost to in the pool stages of the World Cup, and Portugal, before turning their attention to the Rugby Championship and matches against Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.

The frontrunners for the Bok captaincy should Erasmus opt for a new home-based leader are Eben Etzebeth and Lukhanyo Am, both of the Sharks.