JOHANNESBURG – Good news for Siya Kolisi and the Springboks is the national captain could be back on the field sooner than expected.
Kolisi has watched his Bok team-mates from the side of the field in the last few weeks as he slowly makes his return to full fitness following a knee injury.
While there is no set return date for the Bok skipper, coach Rassie Erasmus said yesterday Kolisi could be back in action in the next two weeks.
“Siya will stay with us until after Saturday’s Test and then go home and the good news is he could be back sooner than expected,” said Erasmus.
“He could run out for Western Province (in the Currie Cup) in two weeks’ time, and then we’d be confident to get him back for the last two Tests before we fly out to Japan.”
Erasmus said the Bok management were treating Kolisi a little differently to the other injured players, like Warren Whiteley and Damian Willemse, because “he is our captain”.
Whiteley, who has a knee injury like Kolisi, is also still hopeful of playing in the Currie Cup and pushing for a World Cup place.
Meanwhile, Erasmus said the Wallabies would miss the axed Israel Folau in their Test this weekend and going forward. “The obvious thing is his aerial skills; he’s one of the best in the world in the air,” said Erasmus.
“With him out of the Wallabies team there might be less contesting in the air for us to do.”