Springbok captain Siya Kolisi “is on the right track” to recovery after knee surgery which will rule him out of the Rugby Championship in July but not preparation for the World Cup, the club’s management announced on Wednesday. ‘South Africa. “Siya is on the right track with his rehabilitation, he is achieving all his goals,” assured the director of rugby Rassie Eramus at a press conference. “We want Siya to play one or two warm-up matches before the World Cup,” added coach Jacques Nienaber.
Kolisi (31, 75 caps) seriously injured his knee at the end of April with his Sharks club. He was operated on in stride, raising fears of an absence from the Mondial-2023 in France (September 8-October 28). If the third row recovers faster than expected, it will not be back in time for the Rugby Championship (July 8-July 29), the competition which brings together the best nations in the southern hemisphere with the Springboks, therefore, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia.
South Africa will name a squad of 33 players for the World Cup on August 8, three days after their first warm-up match against Argentina in Buenos Aires. Then come Wales (August 19) and New Zealand (August 25). The Springboks will begin the defense of their world title on September 10 against Scotland before facing successively Romania, Ireland and Tonga in Pool B.
In June 2019, Kolisi became the first black captain in Springbok history. A few months later, he guided his people to a third title of world champions at the World Cup in Japan.
