There is an old cliche that suggests ‘rugby is a hooligans game played by gentlemen’, and there is no doubt that Siya Kolisi has consistently showcased a heartwarming ‘softer’ side away from his no-holds barred approach on the field.

Besides the flagship Siya Kolisi Foundation, the Springbok captain is renowned for his philanthropy and community outreach, while he always makes time to interact and engage with fans.

As far as special meet and greets go, though, they don’t come much better than the incredibly touching moment when he met a young fan at this past weekend’s Sharks game against the Lions in Johannesburg.

Nkosi Mnikazi, a 17-year-old rugby enthusiastic, is currently contending with the challenges brought on by cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movements and posture.

Nkosi is a massive rugby fan and like so many other young kids, he has grown up idolising Siya Kolisi. And as part of an incredible initiative with Vodacom Rugby, the teenager was able to see his dream of meeting Kolisi become a reality.

In an incredibly moving social media clip, Nkosi can be seen repeatedly engulfing Kolisi in hug after hug, with a beaming smile plastered across his face as the Sharks and Springbok star warmly interacts with the young fan.

Speaking after the encounter, an elated Nkosi stated: “It’s just amazing, I got to meet the captain. I’m not going to sleep I promise you… The reason why Siya Kolisi is my favourite rugby player is because of his background and how that transforms into being what he is right now. He is a big inspiration to us all.”

Previously, on 15 February, Nkosi had the opportunity to run out with the Sharks as they took to the field against the Bulls at Loftus, and on that occasion he could also be seen enjoying a special interaction and embrace with loose forward Vincent Tshituka.

A couple of weeks later, and there was another touching surprise in store as he got to spend time with none other than his hero, Siya Kolisi.

You can see the wonderful fan engagement between Siya Kolisi and Nkosi Mnikazi below:

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Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/springboks/exclusive-story-behind-siya-kolisis-heartwarming-fan-interaction/