In December 2019, Kolisi was named in New African magazine's list of 100 Most Influential Africans. In April 2023, Kolisi was bestowed the National Order of Ikhamanga by the South African Government for his contributions to rugby.[10][11] In October 2023, Siya Kolisi captained South Africa to a historic fourth Rugby World Cup in Paris, France, and became only the second captain to win the title back-to-back. Kolisi is one of 44 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions and one of 25 South Africans to do so.
Early life
Kolisi grew up in Zwide, iBhayi, a township in Port Elizabeth. Kolisi's mother, Phakama, was 16 when Siya was born and his father, Fezakele, was in his final year of school. Kolisi's mother died when he was 15, leaving his late grandmother, Nolulamile, to raise him.[12] At the age of 12, he impressed scouts at a youth tournament in Mossel Bay and was offered a scholarship at Grey Junior in Port Elizabeth. He was subsequently offered a rugby scholarship to Grey High School, which South African cricketer Graeme Pollock and England International Mike Catt had attended. Kolisi was a regular member of the first XV high school rugby team. He was also a part of the Eastern Province Kings youth set-up between 2007 and 2009, playing in the Under-16 Grant Khomo week and the Under-18 Craven Week before shifting west to join Western Province.[13][14] He further represented the South Africa national under-18 rugby union team (SA Schools team) for two consecutive years.[15]
Club career
Kolisi made his senior debut for Western Province against the Golden Lions during the 2011 Vodacom Cup and later in the year several injuries and international call-ups gave him the opportunity to make regular starts in the Currie Cup domestic rugby competition. He made 13 appearances and scored 4 tries during the campaign including a crucial score against bitter rivals the Blue Bulls.[2][6]
2012 saw Kolisi graduate to the Stormers squad and he made an immediate impact with 16 appearances during the season, scoring one try. The second half of the year was not so kind to him as a thumb injury restricted him to just one appearance in the 2012 Currie Cup and he had to watch on from the sidelines as Province lifted the trophy for their 33rd Currie Cup title.[16]
Kolisi returned with a bang the following year and held his place in the Stormers side despite fierce competition among the loose forwards. 13 appearances and 2 tries were recorded and this earned him his first international recognition. Being part of the Springbok set-up for the 2013 Rugby Championship meant he only played in Western Province's final 3 matches of the 2013 Currie Cup and was powerless to prevent them from slipping to a surprise 33–19 home defeat to the Sharks in the final of the competition.[6]
Kolisi was selected as the new captain of the Stormers on 20 February 2017.[17] He was selected as the new captain of the Springboks on 28 May 2018, becoming the team's first black captain in its 126-year history.[18]Bryan Habana, former Springbok and of mixed race, praised Kolisi's appointment: "It's a monumental moment for South African rugby, and a moment in South African history."[7]
Kolisi was on the board of directors of MyPlayers Rugby, which is the players' organisation of all the professional rugby players in South Africa.
Kolisi signed for the Sharks in February 2021 following the successful majority share purchase of the Sharks by MVM Holidings.[4][19]
Kolisi rejoined the Sharks, his contract with Racing 92 was due to run out in 2026 but the French club agreed to terminate it early after only one season.[21]
Kolisi made his national team debut as Springbok 851 on 15 June 2013 against Scotland at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. He replaced the injured Arno Botha in the 5th minute and was named as Man of the Match as South Africa won 30–17.[23] Nine further substitute appearances followed during the 2013 international season as he firmly established himself as a regular member of the national squad.[5] Kolisi also played two matches for South Africa in the 2015 Rugby World Cup against Japan and Samoa.[24] Kolisi became the first ever black player to lead the Springboks in a Test match in the match against England at Ellis Park on 9 June 2018.[25]
He captained the South African team at the 2019 Rugby World Cup tournament in Yokohama, Japan, defeating England 32–12 in the final to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.[26] This was South Africa's third World Cup win, tying with New Zealand. In 2019, Siya Kolisi became the first black captain of a World Cup-winning side.[9][27]
The 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa was already on the cards for following the success of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. However the global impact of Covid-19 and the imposed lock-downs, made it impossible for fans to attend the games at the various stadia in South Africa. The tour was eventually agreed to still be staged and was broadcast world over reaching unprecedented viewership highs. There was doubt that the South Africans would be worthy challengers to the touring party due to no rugby being played by them in 2020. Siya Kolisi as captain, led his team of titans, who seemed unphased by the lost year and emulated the previous 2007 Rugby World Cup winning side by beating the Lions two matches to one in series. And just like in 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, the final kick to clinch the series was another long range penalty by the ice-cool Morne Steyn, who with Frans Steyn (who was in the squad but did'nt play) have now won an unprecedented second Lions tour on home soil.
He again captained the South African team at the 2023 Rugby World Cup tournament in Paris, France, defeating the old foe, the valiant All Blacks 12–11 in the final to lift the Webb Ellis Cup. Kolisi accredited the campaign outcome to the team and the coaches for the super work done and thanks the departing Jacques Nienaber in a powerful three minute speech that left he world agog.[28] Going into the final, there was no doubt that whoever wins, shall be the undisputed leader in rugby, with this team having the opportunity to match the New Zealand team of 2011 and 2015 by winning back to back world cups and further to that the winning nation shall be first to an incredible and unprecedented fourth World Cup title. With the eventual and epic win, South Africa equally the back-to-back record win set my the New Zealand team of 2011 and 2015 rugby world cups, however the cherry on top was the South Africans became the first nation to a fourth World Cup win, leaving New Zealand as the only nation at three world cups. Thus in 2023, Siya Kolisi became the first South Africa captain to lift the Webb Ellis trophy twice and matched Richie McCaw of New Zealand, to being the only two winning captains of all time to lead their nations triumphantly in successive Rugby World Cup campaigns.[29][30]
Personal life
Kolisi married Rachel Smith in 2016 and as of 2022[update] they have two children together: son Nicholas Siyamthanda (born 2015) and daughter Keziah (born 2017).[31][7] Since 2014 Siya's half-siblings, Liyema and Liphelo, children of Siya's mother who died in 2009, have been part of the Kolisi household, after five years in orphanages and foster care in Port Elizabeth. Rachel, one year older than Siya, is from Grahamstown and worked in event management before taking on duties as a full-time mother.[32]
Kolisi was also the brother-in-law of South Africa's most decorated female swimmer Tatjana Smith, who is married to Rachel's brother Joel Smith.[33][34][35]
Kolisi is a Christian[36] and a fan of English football club Liverpool F.C.[37] His alma mater Grey High School renamed its first XV rugby field as The Kolisi Field in 2022, in celebration of its most famous past pupil.[38][39]
On 22 October 2024, Kolisi and his wife issued a heartfelt joint statement on Instagram to announce their decision to end their marriage.[40] They stated their intention to remain friends while putting their children first and working together on their foundation.[41]
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, Kolisi and his wife launched The Kolisi Foundation in 2020. The foundation aims to change the narratives of inequality in South Africa. The focus areas of the Kolisi Foundation address the systemic issues in Gender-Based Violence, Food Insecurity and Education and Sport, with special attention paid to Zwide township where Kolisi grew up, and other under-resourced areas of South Africa.[42]
