Siya Kolisi. (Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images)
- The Sharks will not turn their season into a Siya Kolisi swan song following the confirmed year-end departure of their Champions Cup patron.
- Kolisi is set to join Racing 92 after the Springboks’ attempted defense of their Rugby World Cup title later this year.
- The Springbok captain returned to star in the Sharks’ dominating performance over French side Bordeaux at Kings Park on Saturday.
As tempting as it may be, the Sharks haven’t turned their season into a Siya Kolisi swan song following the confirmed departure of their Champions Cup captain to France after the World Cup.
Kolisi is set to join Racing 92 after the Springboks’ attempted defense of their Rugby World Cup title later this year.
Meanwhile, Kolisi has put together a string of standout performances for his Durban team, which he joined in highly publicized circumstances from the Stormers in 2021.
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Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell spoke enthusiastically of Kolisi, saying it was a loss for the franchise following their dominant 32-3 win over French club Union Bordeaux-Begles at Kings Park on Saturday.
Powell, however, said they would not campaign on an individual, though they let Siya go with his blessing.
“First of all, it’s important that everyone understands that Siya is leaving with our blessing,” Powell said.
“He’s going for reasons that are really important to him and also important to us. But we’re playing a team sport and if we start to focus on the individual, then we’re going to find ourselves in trouble.”
“So it’s all about the team. And I think Siya would be the first to say that he is fully committed to the team and will give it his all.”
“You’ve seen him the last few games he played for the Sharks, he was incredible. He’s an incredible leader and person.”
“It’s definitely a loss for the Sharks to lose someone like him.
“We have a long relationship… I met him from the Western Province Institute when he was 19 years old.
“It’s a shame he’s leaving, but he has our blessing. But he’ll tell you it’s all about the Sharks, not him, and that’s the focus for us the rest of the season.”
The Sharks travel to London this week to take on the Harlequins in their final match of the Champions League group stage in search of favorable Group A placement ahead of the round of 16.
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