Siya Kolisi responds to losing the Springbok captaincy

Siya Kolisi has addressed reports suggesting he has been “demoted” to the bench following his first match without holding the title of Springboks captain.

Surprisingly, the 33-year-old was named as a substitute for the first time since 2019. His colleague and pal, Eben Etzebeth, led the team to their victory against Scotland on Sunday, 10 November.

Siya, who plays alongside Eben at their club, the Sharks, became the Boks’ first black captain in 2017.

SIYA KOLISI RESPONDS TO SITTING ON THE BENCH

Speaking in a post-match interview, Siya Kolisi responded to reports he had been “demoted” after not being named Springboks captain.

He said: “We got the win, and that’s most important; we’re going to build from this. But this is what I enjoy about this team: there’s always space for growth. Squad depth and squad growth while winning are the most important.

“So we know, maybe next week I’m not playing…but the team is more important than the individual”.’

DOES DIVORCE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT?

While many rugby fans believe Siya Kolisi’s exclusion as Springboks captain is likely to be due to coach Rassie Erasmus’s rotation strategy, others believe his personal life was a deciding factor.

According to social media commentary, the scrutiny of his public split from his wife, Rachel, forced Siya to sit out his post as captain.

This theory has not been confirmed by Rassie or SA Rugby.

WHO WILL CAPTAIN THE TEAM AGAINST ENGLAND?

Meanwhile, the Springboks will take on England on Saturday, 16 November, in Twickenham.

Rassie Erasmus is expected to announce his squad on Tuesday, including naming the squad captain.