Siya Kolisi on expected Racing 92 debut: ‘I can’t wait to play’

Two-time World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi is expected to make his Racing 92 debut this coming Sunday against La Rochelle in Paris. Kick-off is 10pm.

Kolisi, who led the Springboks to a fourth World Cup title in France a month ago with victory against the All Blacks in the final, to go with wins by South Africa in 1995, 2007 and 2019, announced in January he would be joining Racing after his spell at the Sharks. He previously also played for the Stormers.

The now double World Cup-winning captain met up with his team-mates in Paris two weeks ago before enjoying a short break with his family.

Racing debut

On Saturday Kolisi watched from the stands, alongside his new team-mates including fellow Bok Trevor Nyakane, as Racing beat Stade Francais 13-9 in the Top 14 Parisian derby.

“I can’t wait to play, honestly. That’s the missing part,” Kolisi told Canal+ earlier on Sunday, according to AFP.

“Being on the field is what I’m looking forward to most.”

Kolisi only just made it to the World Cup in France after suffering a major knee injury while playing for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship in April.

The ACL injury forced the Bok sipper to undergo surgery on his injured knee and sidelined him for months. He returned weeks out from the start of the World Cup and led the team through the tournament.

Racing 92 owner Jacky Lorenzetti recently aid of Kolisi: “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.

“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.”