South Africa captain Siya Kolisi is a DOUBT for the World Cup after ‘significant’ knee injury

South African captain Siya Kolisi is IN DOUBT for this year’s World Cup after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury… with the flanker suffering ‘significant damage’ to his knee and requiring surgery

  • South Africa captain Siya Kolisi may miss this year’s Rugby World Cup in France
  • The flanker suffered a ‘significant’ knee injury in his last appearance for Sharks
  • He will almost certainly be banned from the tournament if he undergoes surgery

South Africa’s 2019 World Cup captain Siya Kolisi has emerged as a serious injury ahead of this year’s tournament after suffering a knee problem.

Kolisi became one of rugby’s few truly global superstars after winning the William Webb Ellis Cup and is undoubtedly one of his country’s most important players.

But the 31-year-old flanker’s chances of being part of South Africa’s World Cup defense are now in doubt.

Kolisi was knocked out of his final appearance for the Sharks against Munster this weekend and reports in his home country suggest he has suffered significant knee damage.

Springbok outlet IOC said Kolisi damaged both his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus. He is being assessed by medics to decide the best way forward.

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi is in doubt for the World Cup after suffering a knee injury while playing for the Sharks

Kolisi - who is a cult figure for the Springboks after winning the last edition in 2019 - will almost certainly miss the tournament if he has surgery

Kolisi – who is a cult figure for the Springboks after winning the last edition in 2019 – will almost certainly miss the tournament if he has surgery

If he had surgery, Kolisi would definitely miss the World Cup. Even a non-surgical recovery process would leave him to make it to the tournament in France.

His potential absence would be a huge blow to South Africa’s back-to-back World Cup chances and would also hurt rugby as a whole, given Kolisi’s position in the game and marketability.

On Monday, Kolisi’s wife Rachel asked her followers to pray for her family and that she “believed in a miracle” without directly naming her husband.