Siya Kolisi faces race to be fit for Springboks’ All Blacks Test

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi faces a race against time to be fit for the opening Test against the All Blacks after suffering a hamstring injury on his return to action against Argentina on Saturday evening.

Kolisi played for 25 minutes before being forced off following an incident at an attacking ruck. Andre Esterhuizen was pushed over during the play, and Kolisi fell on top of him as he attempted to get back to his feet.

The extent of the injury has not yet been established, leaving uncertainty over whether Kolisi will recover in time for the first meeting in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry against New Zealand.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said the injury had affected Kolisi’s other hamstring but did not appear to be serious.

“He injured his hamstring, the other hamstring, but it doesn’t look too bad,” Erasmus said in a post-match interview.

The captain had made an encouraging return before his early departure, and Erasmus praised the impact he had made during his short spell on the pitch.

“I thought Siya was really dynamic with his carries and his clean-outs.”

Kolisi’s availability will now be closely monitored as South Africa prepare for their first Test against the All Blacks. The injury came during a demanding match for the Springboks, who were dealing with a number of players returning after extended periods without regular rugby.

Erasmus said the team had expected the contest to be difficult, but insisted their priority had been securing victory over Argentina.

“Our focus was purely on beating Argentina today, and we had a tough day out there,” said Erasmus.

South Africa struggled to find their rhythm during the early stages and were forced to defend for long periods. Erasmus said the side appeared tired and conceded territory while also making mistakes that had been anticipated before kick-off.

The coach attributed those problems to the lack of game time among a large part of his squad. Seven or eight players had played very little rugby during the previous six or seven weeks, making it difficult for the team to maintain cohesion throughout the match.

“We looked leg-weary early on, gave up a lot of territory, and made errors which we knew were likely with seven or eight players having played very little rugby in the last six or seven weeks.

“I always expected us to look disjointed, having left fifteen players back in South Africa.”

Kolisi’s injury adds to the focus on South Africa’s preparations for the All Blacks encounter, with the Springboks now waiting for further assessment before determining whether their captain will be available for the opening Test.