Springboks captain Siya Kolisi’s stint with the Sharks could come to a premature end as he is keen to further his career at the Stormers, according to a report in the South African media.
The Sharks confirmed the signing of Kolisi for the 2024/25 season after the 33-year-old ended his brief spell in France where he played for Parisian outfit Racing 92.
Kolisi initially spent two years at the Sharks between 2021 and 2023 before he signed a lucrative three-year deal at Racing 92, joining the French club following the Rugby World Cup.
Short stint at Racing 92
His stint at the Top 14 side did not last long though as he struggled with an injury and his performance throughout the season and particularly in a loss to Bordeaux-Begles in June, which was criticised by Racing president Jacky Lorenzetti who said: “Kolisi had a remarkable start to the season, where he was a unifier off the field.
“The injury layoff was harmful to him. He gained weight, lost shape and yesterday [against Bordeaux] he was transparent.”
Kolisi’s move to Racing did not work out and, after just one season, the Boks skipper decided to head back to Durban with the Sharks on a one-year contract.
However, News24 reports that the man who skippered the Springboks to back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs is negotiating a return to the Stormers where he started his career as a professional rugby player in 2012.
Keen to be with his kids
Despite being in superb form for the Sharks – after recently shifting to the number eight position – Kolisi’s heart is set on returning to the Stormers and one of the main reasons for his decision to leave the Durban-based outfit is his desire to be in the same city (Cape Town) as his children after he split from his wife Rachel in October.
Being close to his children is important for Kolisi who is understood to have approached the Stormers about joining the Cape Town-based franchise.
Sources have reportedly told News24 that the Stormers’ new owners are not eager to splash big amounts of money on superstars but Kolisi is reportedly willing to take a pay cut of an unspecified amount, which would put him in a similar bracket with the rest of the men from the Cape’s leading Boks in a bid to clinch the deal
However, a lot depends on whether the Sharks’ majority shareholder, Marco Masotti, gives his blessing to Kolisi’s request or if he objects to it.
