Siya Kolisi facts for kids
Kolisi playing for South Africa in 2022
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| Full name | Siyamthanda Kolisi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 16 June 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, Republic of South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 105 kg (231 lb; 16 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Grey High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Tatjana Smith (sister-in-law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Siyamthanda "Siya" Kolisi OIG, born on 16 June 1991, is a famous South African rugby union player. He is the captain of the South Africa national team, also known as the Springboks.
Siya Kolisi used to play for the Stormers and Racing 92. He now plays for the Sharks in the URC. He usually plays as a flanker, which is a type of loose forward player.
In 2018, Kolisi made history when he became the first black man to be named captain of the Springboks. He led the team to victory in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final against England. He then led them to win again in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final against New Zealand.
In December 2019, New African magazine named Kolisi one of the 100 Most Influential Africans. In April 2023, the South African Government gave him the National Order of Ikhamanga. This award was for his great contributions to rugby. In October 2023, Siya Kolisi captained South Africa to win a historic fourth Rugby World Cup. This made him only the second captain ever to win the title two times in a row.
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Siya Kolisi's Early Life
Siya Kolisi grew up in Zwide, a township in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. His mother, Phakama, was 16 when he was born. His father, Fezakele, was still in his last year of school.
Siya's mother passed away when he was 15 years old. After that, his grandmother, Nolulamile, raised him. When he was 12, he played in a youth tournament in Mossel Bay. Scouts were very impressed by his skills.
He was offered a scholarship to Grey Junior in Port Elizabeth. Later, he received a rugby scholarship to Grey High School. Famous cricketers like Graeme Pollock also went to this school. Kolisi was always a key player on his high school rugby team.
He also played for the Eastern Province Kings youth teams from 2007 to 2009. He played in important youth tournaments like the Under-16 Grant Khomo week and the Under-18 Craven Week. After that, he moved to join Western Province. He also played for the South Africa national under-18 rugby union team (SA Schools team) for two years in a row.
Siya Kolisi's Club Journey
Kolisi started his senior career with Western Province in 2011. He played in the 2011 Vodacom Cup and later in the Currie Cup. Injuries to other players helped him get regular chances to play. He played 13 games and scored 4 tries that year.
In 2012, Kolisi joined the Stormers team. He quickly made a big impact, playing 16 games and scoring one try. However, a thumb injury later that year limited him to only one game in the 2012 Currie Cup. He had to watch as his team, Western Province, won the Currie Cup.
Kolisi came back strong the next year. He kept his spot in the Stormers team, even with lots of competition. He played 13 games and scored 2 tries. This strong performance led to his first chance to play for the national team.
On 20 February 2017, Kolisi was chosen as the new captain of the Stormers. Then, on 28 May 2018, he became the new captain of the Springboks. This was a huge moment because he was the team's first black captain in its 126-year history. Bryan Habana, a former Springbok player, said it was a "monumental moment for South African rugby."
Kolisi also served on the board of MyPlayers Rugby. This group represents all professional rugby players in South Africa. In February 2021, Kolisi signed with the Sharks. He then signed with Top 14 side Racing 92 in January 2023. He joined them after the World Cup later that year.
Kolisi later rejoined the Sharks. His contract with Racing 92 was supposed to last until 2026. However, the French club agreed to end it early after just one season.
Siya Kolisi's International Career
Siya Kolisi played for the South Africa under 20 team. He competed in the 2010 and 2011 IRB Junior World Championship tournaments.
Kolisi made his debut for the national team, the Springboks, on 15 June 2013. This was against Scotland at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. He came on as a substitute early in the game and was named Man of the Match. South Africa won the game 30–17.
He continued to play for the national squad, often coming on as a substitute. Kolisi also played two matches for South Africa in the 2015 Rugby World Cup. These were against Japan and Samoa. On 9 June 2018, Kolisi became the first black player to lead the Springboks in a Test match. This historic game was against England at Ellis Park.
He captained the South African team at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Yokohama, Japan. They beat England 32–12 in the final to win the Webb Ellis Cup. This was South Africa's third World Cup win, tying with New Zealand. In 2019, Siya Kolisi became the first black captain of a World Cup-winning team.
The 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa was a big event. Due to Covid-19, fans could not attend the games. However, the tour still happened and was watched by many people around the world. Many wondered if the South African team would be ready, as they had not played rugby in 2020.
Siya Kolisi, as captain, led his team to victory. They beat the Lions two matches to one in the series. This was similar to the 2007 World Cup winning team. The final kick to win the series was a long-range penalty by Morne Steyn.
He captained the South African team again at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Paris, France. They won a very close final against New Zealand, 12–11, to lift the Webb Ellis Cup again. Kolisi thanked his team and coaches for their hard work.
This win meant South Africa became the first nation to win four World Cup titles. They also matched New Zealand's record of winning back-to-back World Cups. In 2023, Siya Kolisi became the first South African captain to win the Webb Ellis trophy twice. He also matched Richie McCaw of New Zealand as the only two captains to win two Rugby World Cups in a row.
Captaincy Achievements
Siya Kolisi is the most successful South African Captain. He has won two World Cups in a row, in 2019 (Japan) and 2023 (France). This achievement equals the New Zealand team led by Richie McCaw.
As captain, he also holds the record for leading South Africa to four wins in a row against the strong All Blacks team. Before him, only John Smit (2007) and Felix du Plessis (1949) shared this record.
In 2024, he won more trophies as captain than any other Springboks captain before him. These include the Qatar Airways Cup, the Mandela Challenge Plate, the Freedom Cup, The Rugby Championship, and the Prince William Cup. Under his captaincy, South Africa not only holds the World Cup but also won the British & Irish Lions Series in 2021. This was a feat that Richie McCaw could not achieve with New Zealand in 2017.
Siya Kolisi's Personal Life
Kolisi married Rachel Smith in 2016. They have two children together: a son named Nicholas Siyamthanda (born 2014) and a daughter named Keziah (born 2017). Since 2014, Siya's half-siblings, Liyema and Liphelo, have lived with the Kolisi family. They are his mother's children and had been in orphanages and foster care for five years.
Rachel, who is one year older than Siya, is from Grahamstown. She used to work in event management before becoming a full-time mother. Siya Kolisi is also the brother-in-law of Tatjana Smith, a very successful South African swimmer. Tatjana is married to Rachel's brother, Joel Smith.
Kolisi is a Christian and a big fan of the English football club Liverpool F.C.. In 2022, his old school, Grey High School, renamed its main rugby field "The Kolisi Field." This was to celebrate their most famous former student.
Helping Others: Philanthropy
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, Kolisi and his wife started The Kolisi Foundation. This foundation works to help fix problems of inequality in South Africa.
The Kolisi Foundation focuses on important issues like Gender-Based Violence, Food Insecurity, and Education and Sport. They pay special attention to Zwide township, where Kolisi grew up, and other areas in South Africa that need more resources.
In 2020, Kolisi and his friend, cricketer Faf du Plessis, gave food parcels to a street feeding program in Bonteheuwel. This was also during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, Kolisi was named a UN Global Advocate for the Spotlight Initiative. This initiative works to stop violence against women and girls.
Siya Kolisi's Honours
International Awards
- 2023 Qatar Airways Cup:
- Winning Captain: 2023
- Prince William Cup:
- Winner (1): 2013
- Winning Captain: 2021
- Winning Captain: 2022
- Winning Captain: 2023
- Winning Captain: 2024
- Mandela Challenge Plate:
- Winner: 2013
- Winning Captain: 2024
- Freedom Cup:
- Winning Captain: 2024
- 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa:
- Winning Captain: 2021
- The Rugby Championship:
- Winning Captain: 2019
- Winning Captain: 2024
See also
In Spanish: Siya Kolisi para niños
