Cape Town — Having played almost non-stop rugby since the 2022 international season, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is making the most of his long-awaited break from the pitch.
The 31-year-old loose forward featured for the Sharks in last weekend’s Champions Cup clash against Harlequins in London, where the Durban side went down 39-29.
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Kolisi then began his period of rest as prescribed by the Bok management, which is a vital part of the process to ensure that he is fit and firing for the defence of the World Cup crown in France in September.
A number of key Boks who play for South African franchises, including Kolisi, Steven Kitshoff, Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse and others, will enjoy time off over the next few weeks.
But it was almost as if Kolisi’s breather started immediately after the final whistle of the Harlequins game, as he spent about an hour signing autographs for the spectators at The Stoop.
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He then took to Instagram to tell wife Rachel that he was “on the way” home from the UK, and also uploaded a photo with son Nicholas and daughter Keziah, along with the caption: “Looking forward to this! School drops and pick ups etc … dada this dad that”
Kolisi gave some insight into some of the Bok songs that he sings before and after matches, before showcasing the Maxhosa Africa knitwear brand with designer Laduma Ngxokolo.
Then it was time to shoot his own ‘Baywatch’ scene in an ad with Oakley sunglasses, before the highlight of his Thursday was playing netball with kids from Kwazele Primary School and an adoring crowd, in partnership with the Kolisi Foundation.
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In between, Kolisi shared interesting clips on his Instagram stories involving Rachel and friend Megan Weir-Smith — the wife of former Bok wing JP Pietersen — working out in the Kolisi home gym in Durban.
Kolisi tries to motivate the two ladies, and tells a smiling Rachel: “You don’t talk, you are the most boring partner ever! You are like the Hulk … Hulk smash, that’s all you do,” and then adds: “Holiday is led! How is the holiday going for you,” while Rachel is busy doing pull-ups.
Next up for the inspirational Bok skipper is the premiere of his documentary, Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story, in his home township of Zwide in Gqeberha on Saturday.
The event will be hosted at the Isaac Booi Senior Primary School in Zwide, with 1 000 people in attendance, and Kolisi is set to take questions from those in attendance as well.
The documentary will be aired on TV for the first time on M-Net at 5pm on 26 February, and on SuperSport at 8pm on the same day.
IOL Sport
