The Cell C Sharks pulled off nothing short of a coup d'état and signed the Springbok Captain.
The Sharks will be smiling
After an 11 year career at the Stormers and Western Province, Siya Kolisi has confirmed that he has joined
the Natal based side with immediate effect. There is no doubt that the Sharks will be smiling about
both the quality of player they have added to their books, but the commercial value of having such
an icon of the game plying his trade from Kings Park too.
The Sharks earlier in the year sold a 51% share to MVM Holdings which has given the union serious punching power to go out and bolster its playing stocks, whilst the additional global partnership with the Jay-Z owned, Roc Nation was also established. Roc Nation currently manages Siya Kolisi as well
as fellow Springbok Cheslin Kolbe and England’s Maro Itoje.
This has sparked rumours that both Kolbe and Itoje could be linked with moves down Durban,
however it is highly unlikely a player like Itoje would be open to such a move given his links with the
British and Irish Lions captaincy. Further to that, at the age of 27 he is unlikely to give up his English
eligibility to play outside the country. Kolbe however could be on the cards if the side looked to lure
the fleet footed winger back home, even if they are pretty healthily stocked in the outside backs
department.
The Sharks however have announced that Siya is to play no part in the Franchise Cup as they look for
the player to complete a full 6 weeks pre-season program. This is in stark contrast to the players
management who put the player out on the field at any given opportunity, at the expense of proper
conditioning. This will likely help the player settled in Durban but also find his form again as he
returns to full fitness in time for the Rainbow Nations Cup in April.
It’s great for South African Rugby that Kolisi has chosen to remain on home soil, as we look to ramp
up preparations for the British and Irish Lions tour. Everyone will be looking forward to his first hit
out in the black and white.