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Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi explains move to the Sharks after Durban unveiling
By Sam Smith
Springboks World Cup-winning skipper Siya Kolisi has been officially unveiled as a Sharks player in Durban after he penned a multi-year deal with the South African franchise on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old back row has left the Stormers in Cape Town to sign for the recent Currie Cup finalists who are now formulating preparations for the new Rainbow Cup that will see the four leading South African franchises take on the likes of Leinster and other PRO14 clubs.
Kolisi said: “I bought into the vision of the Sharks immediately – the energy around the club, the management set-up, the squad and the potential for success was so strong.
“I have always had a desire to be the best and play with the best to reach my potential on-and-off the field and this move is just another step in maximising what I can achieve within my career.
“This is a very exciting new chapter for me and my loved ones and one I'm embracing fully. I arrive with a commitment to give this team everything I have and I’m thankful to the Sharks for the opportunity. We can’t wait to see what Durban has to offer.”
A Sharks club statement on Wednesday added: “Kolisi’s ongoing strong appetite to win trophies and better himself on the field matched with the Sharks' strategic vision and defined blueprint for success. It drove Kolisi’s motivation to expand his horizons within SA rugby and embark on this exciting new chapter in Durban.”
The unveiling of Kolisi in the colours of the Sharks arrived on the same day it emerged that British and Irish Lions officials are strongly considering the proposal from Rugby Australia to host the Test series versus the Springboks in cities such as Sydney rather than the tour going ahead behind closed doors in South Africa.
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I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
Go to commentsWhatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.
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