OPINION: Siya Kolisi’s French move proves every player has a price

In a massive blow to South African rugby’s attempts to keep their best players in the country, it was confirmed on Tuesday morning that Springbok captain Siya Kolisi had agreed a deal to end his Sharks contract early and take up a contract with Racing 92 in France.

Kolisi will end his two year spell with the Durban club after the 2023 World Cup in France, with him then staying on in the host country to turn out for the French club.

It is a disappointing turn of events after it looked like the tide of SA’s best players heading overseas was turning, while the major return of Springbok star Eben Etzebeth to the country with the Sharks last year proved that there was an interest in our best players returning.

The Stormers’ long-term signing of Bok star Damian Willemse, as well as the Sharks and Bulls managing to tie down Lukhanyo Am and Marcell Coetzee to long term contracts, while allowing them short sojourns in Japan, seemed to indicate a change in the status quo of SA players moving permanently overseas.

Although star Bok and Stormers prop Steven Kitshoff signed for Ulster from next season, that just seemed to be a bump in the road.

It seemed like top SA players were finally happy to commit to playing rugby at the highest level for local teams and that they didn’t need to chase the riches of Europe.

Legend

But Kolisi’s bombshell revelation throws that assumption completely out the window as he was the poster boy for SA based players.

He is the World Cup winning captain of the Springboks, a Stormers legend who was set to carve out a similarly legendary career at the Sharks.

Kolisi was the quintessential SA based player, who with his various endorsements and lucrative contracts with the Boks and Sharks, didn’t seem to need to chase the riches of Europe.

However, it seems that every man has his price, which is something I will never begrudge him, and he is now the latest big name Bok star that has been lured by the monetary might of French rugby.

There is a good chance that we will see Kolisi back playing rugby in South Africa at some stage in the future, especially with the Sharks confirming that they had entered into a partnership with Racing 92, which will hopefully see some players from them heading to SA.

But it is still a disappointing development that shows that despite the strides made by SA teams since joining the United Rugby Championship, they still have a huge fight on their hands to hold onto their best players, especially as long as the South African rugby salary cap stays in place.