Siya Kolisi will join Racing 92 after next autumn’s Rugby World Cup, the French club has announced. The Springbok captain has put pen to paper on a three year deal that will keep him in Paris until 2026.
Kolisi, who lead South Africa to World Cup glory in 2019, currently plays his club rugby for the Durban-based Sharks in the URC. He was contracted to the URC side until 2026 but will nonetheless leave just two years into a five-year contract.
Racing president Jacky Lorenzetti welcomed the move: “The signing of Siya Kolisi confirms Racing 92′s intentions and is going to offer our signatures a high-level spectacle at the Paris La Défense Arena,” he said.
“His profound culture of winning and his natural leadership render him a significant player and a proundly good man.”
Kolisi himself explained how the move allows him to spend more time with his family, a significant factor in the decision.
“The move to Racing 92 will allow me to spend more time with my family, which is something that I have longed for, and this prospect certainly played a significant part in my decision-making,” read a statement from Kolisi on social media.
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“Not many athletes get the chance to write the chapters of their respective stories, and I view this new challenge in France as an opportunity to do this. Indeed, it has been an incredible collaborative effort between the Sharks and Racing 92 that has enabled me to start a new chapter in my career after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.”
Kolisi joined the Sharks in 2021 having previously lined out for the Stormers and he departs with their blessing. As hinted at in his statement, the move comes as part of a new collaboration between Racing and the Stormers, one which will feature quarterly meetings of owners and management and an exchange of ideas about player sharing, coaching and branding. The transfer comes as the Sharks seek to expand their brand in Europe and subsequently North America ahead of the 2031 to be hosted in the United States.
