I’m ready to fight for my Bok place

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says his priority this year is staying fit and healthy amid fierce competition in the loose forwards. LINDIZ VAN ZILLA reports.

Speaking in Cape Town at the launch of his new values-led partnership with Pick n Pay, Kolisi was candid about the challenge ahead as the Boks prepare for the inaugural Nations Championship and the Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks in what is a momentous year for South African rugby.

“I just want to be healthy,” Kolisi said. “This [URC] break is important for me to rest properly, then I can get back into it again. I want to be in a position where I can fight for my place.”

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At 34, the two-time World Cup winner knows nothing is guaranteed.

“The competition is tight,” he said. “There are so many loose forwards playing really well at the moment and that’s a good thing. Nobody can be comfortable. Nobody can relax because so many guys are having an amazing season. I’m looking forward to coming back, playing again and fighting for my position.”

Kolisi believes the Springboks’ 2026 Test schedule will demand peak conditioning from the entire squad.

The world champions host England, Scotland and Wales in July, before away fixtures against Italy, France and Ireland, and a finals weekend in November. In August and September, the Springboks play the All Blacks in four Tests – three in South Africa and the fourth in the United States.

“It’s a massive year for the team,” he said. “The fixtures are tough from the start. You go straight into the Nations Championship, then into the Greatest Rivalry, and then back into the Nations Championship. There’s a winner at the end, north versus south, which makes it really exciting and gives you something to really look forward to.”

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Kolisi also reflected on his impending return to Cape Town, where he will rejoin the Stormers after a season with the Sharks.

“Cape Town has always been special for me,” he said. “It’s where my career started and it was my home for 11 years. Coming back will feel like coming home.”

But he admitted the decision to leave Durban wasn’t easy.

“It’s hard. I’m not leaving because I wasn’t happy, but because of my kids [who live in Cape Town]. The Sharks and the people there have been amazing to me. That’s what made it really difficult.”

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Thursday’s events marked the announcement of Kolisi’s partnership with Pick n Pay, which builds on the long-standing relationship between the retailer, its Feed the Nation Foundation and the Kolisi Foundation.

“It feels personal and authentic,” Kolisi said. “It’s not about what we can get, it’s about what we can do for the people of South Africa and how we can help where we can.”

Kolisi visited the retailer’s stores at the V&A Waterfront and then Constantia, spending time with PnP staff and customers, before heading to the company headquarters in Kenilworth where he engaged with CEO Sean Summers and staff.

Main photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images