Siya Kolisi missed the Sharks’ clash with the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship after being replaced before kick-off.

The Springboks superstar was scheduled to start at number eight for their South African derby, but he was forced to withdraw.

That sparked rumours on social media that it was due to a report which surfaced on Friday that Kolisi is due to exit the Sharks at the end of the season.

Calf issue

However, injury appears to be the reason for his late withdrawal on Saturday, with a calf tear purportedly the issue which caused him to sit this game out.

Should that be confirmed, though, it is an injury which may well keep him out of action for a lengthy period.

It would be a huge blow for John Plumtree’s men, who have enjoyed an improved season. Kolisi’s shift to the base of the scrum has been a factor in that development, but they may not see him too many more times in Durban now.

News 24 have claimed that Kolisi has set his sights on returning to Cape Town in order to be closer to his children after splitting with wife Rachel.

It is understood that it is the Springboks captain who has approached the Stormers about joining the team, despite only recently returning to the Sharks.

Kolisi signed a three-year deal at Racing 92 and he moved to Paris after the conclusion of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but his stay only lasted a season.

After he and his family struggled to settle in the French capital, he negotiated a move back to Durban.

Siya Kolisi set for sensational Sharks exit as Springboks captain eyes move – report

‘Stealing’ from Racing

“We reached an agreement with the club. I am grateful for the way they handled the situation,” he told L’Equipe in September.

“When I arrived in Paris, I didn’t know what the future of my international career was but when I started playing for the national team again (in June), I realised that my body has no rest.

“And above all, if I play for South Africa, I miss three months of the Top 14 season. I am very well paid and it makes me feel like I am stealing from Racing.

“So, for me, my physical health and the club, I want to do what is right, I don’t want to only invest half of myself.”

It appears as though the 33-year-old could be switching clubs once again, however. The back-rower spent a large portion of his career in Cape Town with the Stormers and Western Province, and he could be moving back there for the 2025/26 campaign.

READ MORE: Springboks: Siya Kolisi’s verdict on positional switch back to where ‘Rassie spotted’ him

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/siya-kolisi-in-sudden-late-withdrawal-for-sharks-south-african-derby-with-bulls