Official: Siya Kolisi Joins The Sharks

The Sharks have officially unveiled as the signing of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi from the Stormers.

One of the worst kept secrets in South African Rugby, the Sharks have officially released a statement to announce a ‘historic day’ for the franchise.

Kolisi's contract with the Stormers was set to come to an end in October 2021 and although the union did everything possible to re-sign him, he chose not to take it up and has been released early from his contract, upon acceptance of a transfer fee from the Sharks.

‘Kolisi’s ongoing strong appetite to win trophies and better himself on the field, matched with the Sharks’ strategic vision and defined blueprint for success, drove Kolisi’s motivation to expand his horizons within SA rugby, and embark on this exciting new chapter in Durban,’ a statement read.

Sharks CEO Dr Eduard Coetzee said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Siya and his family to the Cell C Sharks. We pride ourselves on being a family unit who support and treat each other unbelievably well and a player of Siya’s pedigree is a welcomed addition to the team.

‘He is a class act and undoubtedly a great ambassador for the game and is someone whom our young players will certainly draw inspiration from. We are confident that Siya will fit in seamlessly into our team environment and will thrive with the unique culture that we have in Durban.'

Siya added: “I bought into the vision of The Sharks immediately – the energy around the club, the management set-up, the squad and the potential for success was so strong. 

“I have always had a desire to be the best, and play with the best, to reach my potential on-and-off the field, and this move is just another step in maximising what I can achieve within my career. 

“This is a very exciting new chapter for me and my loved ones, and one I am embracing fully. I arrive with a commitment to give this team everything I have, and I’mthankful to The Sharks for the opportunity. 

We can’t wait to see what Durban has to offer.”

This comes three days after the Stormers confirmed that they had parted ways with Western Province Rugby after an 11-year journey, which has spanned his entire professional rugby career to date.

Kolisi signed with Western Province Rugby straight out of school, learning his trade at the Western Province Rugby Institute and playing in the DHL Western Province U19 team in 2010. It did not take Kolisi long to make an impression in the senior team and he made his DHL Western Province debut in 2011, before going on to earn his first DHL Stormers cap in 2012.

Kolisi made a try-scoring debut for the DHL Stormers in the opening game of the 2012 campaign, coming on as an injury replacement for Schalk Burger. He ends his time at Western Province Rugby as the second-most capped  Stormers player, with the legendary Burger (123) the only player to have topped his 118 Super Rugby caps for the franchise. Kolisi became a Springbok on his 22nd birthday in 2013, having impressed in his first two seasons as a Stormers player.

In 2017 Kolisi was appointed Stormers captain and led the team for two full Super Rugby campaigns before he was appointed Springbok captain in 2018. In 2018 Kolisi played his 100th match for the Stormers and the following year became the third Springbok captain to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, when the Springboks beat England 32-12 in the Rugby World Cup Final in Yokohama.

IMAGE CREDIT: TheSharksZA/Twitter