Springbok captain Siya Kolisi wants to end his rugby chapter at the Sharks with a bang against Zebre tomorrow.
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The Sharks’ dismal United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign draws to an end at Kings Park on Saturday afternoon, but emotions will be high nonetheless as they say farewell to Springbok legend Siya Kolisi.
The Sharks’ final match of the season, against the Italian team Zebre, marks the end of the double-World Cup-winning captain’s five-year career in Durban that was interrupted by a one-season stint with Parisian club Racing 92.
Kolisi is rejoining his old club, the Stormers. Another big-name Springbok leaving Durban is scrumhalf Grant Williams, who is heading to Japan. Williams is not playing this afternoon because of injury, but Kolisi will be in his famous No 6 jersey.
While the Sharks flopped in the (URC) - they will finish 10th out of 18 teams and failed to make the quarter-finals - the players want to give the popular Kolisi a fitting send-off.
“Siya has been phenomenal for us the whole year,” coach JP Pietersen said. “Even when he’s been injured or not playing, he’s still contributing to the team."
Pietersen praised Kolisi for the mentorship role he has played with the younger players in the squad, particularly with the youngsters who play the same position as him.
“He’s been so helpful with Nick Hatton and Matt Ramao in the loose-forwards,” Pietersen said. “With his knowledge and experience, there’s so much the players can take from him and, as a coach, I have also learned from Siya,” Pietersen said.
“He’s been through difficult situations himself in rugby where he had to leave teams, so he’s got a heap of experience, and, sadly, we’re losing him.”
Off the field, it has been a big week for the Sharks - they held their annual awards banquet at the Sibaya Casino on Tuesday. The big winners were lanky lock Emile Van Heerden (Player of the Year) and captain Andre Esterhuizen, whom the players voted as their Player of the Year.
The new United Rugby Championship season begins in September, and Sharks supporters will be hoping that some fresh faces will help turn around fortunes.
The former Springbok flyhalf Ivan van Zyl is on his way to the Shark Tank from the London club Saracens, and the former Ireland flyhalf Ross Byrne is joining from Gloucester. Further down the line, an exciting development is that Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok has been targeted for a return from Japan to play for the Sharks.