Springboks captain Siya Kolisi has made an honest admission about his chances of making the next Rugby World Cup.
After guiding South Africa to back-to-back tournament triumphs, the flanker will be 37 years old by the time Australia 2027 rolls around.
Kolisi has led the team since 2018 and has been a key cog in the Springboks pack throughout, captaining his country 61 times.
Past his peak?
With many of the double Rugby World Cup winners now in their 30s, head coach Rassie Erasmus has admitted that the team will need youth to come through if they are to become the first nation to win a hat-trick of World Cup titles.
Speaking to Afrikaans publication Rapport, Kolisi admits that he may not be in his prime anymore by the time that the World Cup comes around.
“I understand that everyone only has a certain period at their peak,” he said.
Still, he aims to be good enough in 2027 to earn selection for the Springboks even if that means he is no longer captain of the team.
“To be honest, I’m not thinking about the captaincy, I just want to make the team,” he added.
“The most important thing for me is to have the chance to play for the Springboks, whether I’m captain or not is out of my control.
“I just to play well enough to be part of the team and hopefully make it to the 2027 World Cup.”
Looking after his body
Kolisi is set to miss the Sharks’ next United Rugby Championship clash against the Bulls as part of his minimum rest mandated by SA Rugby.
Springboks players are supposed to get at least eight weeks per season and Kolisi is currently enjoying the time off, his first break since sustaining the injury that put his involvement in the 2023 World Cup in doubt.
The rest will do his hopes of extending his Bok career a world of good.
“My body feels good. It’s nice to be back home and I’m now getting my first break in a long time after injuring my knee ligaments,” he said.
“I’ll be out of action for about five weeks which I believe will help me a lot. I’ll start training hard again soon.
“I’ll have to look after my body a little better going forward and recover well after hard training sessions.”
He is also well aware of the competition he will face for his jumper with Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith and Phepsi Buthelezi all featuring in the role last year while many believe that Cameron Hanekom could shift to the side of the scrum for the Test team despite shining in the number eight jersey for the Bulls.
“I know there are so many players competing for the Springboks number six jersey and I will be competing for a place against players who are much younger than me,” Kolisi admitted.
READ MORE: Opposing ‘heavyweight’ factions launch shock move in SA Rugby’s private equity deal saga – report
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/siya-kolisi-wary-of-being-past-his-peak-as-he-makes-honest-springboks-admission-for-2027-world-cup
