Siya Kolisi cleared to captain South Africa against All Blacks

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has confirmed that Siya Kolisi will return from a hamstring injury to start for South Africa against New Zealand in the second Test in Cape Town on Saturday.

Kolisi came through a fitness assessment and will line up at flanker, with Stormers forward Paul de Villiers dropping out of the matchday 23.

The match at Cape Town Stadium is the second of a four-Test series, with New Zealand holding a 1-0 lead after winning at Ellis Park last weekend. South Africa must now respond if they are to turn around the series in what has been described as the Greatest Rivalry.

Kolisi will also take over as captain from Pieter-Steph du Toit, adding further significance to his return for the Springboks.

The availability of the 34-year-old was the first issue put to Erasmus at his news conference on Tuesday.

“Yeah, Siya. 100% he’ll be starting,” Erasmus answered.

Kolisi has been sidelined since suffering the injury during South Africa’s Test against Argentina three weeks ago. Erasmus said the problem was a hamstring injury rather than one involving the knee issues that had previously threatened the flanker’s participation at the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups.

“It was just a hamstring,” Erasmus said.

“The previous big ones [injuries] which he had before [the] 2019 and 2023 [Rugby World Cups] was knees. So this is not a knee.

“And it’s not a hamstring [injury] where he was running maximum speed. It was at a breakdown where he was trying to steal the ball, then he got cleaned from behind. And then he just overextended.”

Erasmus explained that South Africa had proceeded carefully because Kolisi suffered a grade-two hamstring tear. He said the player had still experienced some discomfort when getting up from the ground during rehabilitation on Sunday, leaving his participation in the Test uncertain at that stage.

“A grade two-hamstring [tear] takes a little bit longer. And that’s why we’re just really cautious. I mean, last week, maybe touch and go.

“And then Sunday when he did some rehab, he said now when he gets off the ground, he still feels it a little bit. But we said, well, okay, we’ll have to run full-out Monday. And he did full-out Monday and full-out Tuesday without any discomfort.

“So he’s good to go.”

Kolisi was therefore able to train at full intensity on both Monday and Tuesday without feeling pain or discomfort. His return is particularly encouraging for South Africa because the Springbok management is known for avoiding risks with players who are not fully fit.

The decision means the home side will have one of its most experienced leaders available as they attempt to level the Test series against the All Blacks.

The second Test in Cape Town kicks off at 17:10 on Saturday.