The Kolisi coup

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.