Springboks issue fresh Siya Kolisi update ahead of All Blacks opener
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On track.
The Springboks have delivered a positive update on Siya Kolisi ahead of Saturday’s opening Test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
Kolisi has been one of just two injury concerns for Rassie Erasmus heading into the first Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, alongside loosehead prop Ox Nché.
The Springbok captain suffered a hamstring injury during South Africa’s 17-10 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires earlier this month, lasting just 24 minutes on his return to Test rugby.
Kolisi had already missed the Nations Championship through a hamstring injury, although Erasmus confirmed after the Argentina victory that this latest setback was to the opposite hamstring.
There were understandable doubts over whether the 35-year-old would recover in time to face New Zealand, but the latest news from the Springboks camp is encouraging.
Assistant coach Felix Jones confirmed that both Kolisi and Nché successfully came through Tuesday’s training session.
“Both of them are tracking pretty good,” Jones said.
“There’s been no flags or issues from what we’ve seen today in training.”
Nché has been working his way back from a knee injury suffered during the Nations Championship, while Kolisi is attempting to prove his fitness in time to lead the Springboks into one of the biggest Test series in recent memory.
Neither player has officially been declared fit for Saturday, meaning both will still need to come through the remainder of the training week before a final decision is made.
