‘Siya … he’s quite extraordinary,’ says Racing 92 owner of Bok skipper

Racing 92 owner Jacky Lorenzetti has extolled the extraordinary qualities of Siya Kolisi, ahead of the two-time World Cup-winning Bok captain’s arrival at the Top 14 club.

Kolisi had been granted an early release from his Sharks contract in January to join French outfit Racing after the 2023 World Cup.

Arguably the most influential player to pull on the green and gold jersey, the 32-year-old solidified his status in South African rugby lore by captaining a golden generation of Springboks to historic back-to-back titles after South Africa beat New Zealand in France.

He has just completed a countrywide trophy tour in celebration of the South Africans’ defence of their title, and is expected to link up with his new club next week, along with Bok teammate Trevor Nyakane.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with French media outlet Midi Olympique, Lorenzetti touched on the arrival of Kolisi at the Paris La Defense Arena, as well as what he expects from the charismatic loose forward.

‘He radiates’

“Siya arrives at the club this Monday and Trevor Nyakane will not be long. There will be a positive impact on the group, I think,” he told Midi Olympique.

“Siya, he radiates. He’s someone quite extraordinary. He gives me the impression of being a tractor that will pull the whole team behind him.

“Kolisi reminds me of Dan Carter but in a different style, certainly with a little more flesh, a little more human… They say he has political ambitions after rugby and that doesn’t surprise me from what I know about the guy.

“He is more unifying than anyone and even created an association a few years ago to help children in the townships in South Africa.

“In my youth, I did a bit of motorsport and I loved a driver named Ayrton Senna; he was a driving genius but he also had a mystical dimension that I found in Siya Kolisi.”

This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission. For the original story please click here.