French rugby boss slams Siya Kolisi: ‘Not the player we expected. He’s gained weight’
South Africa’s two-times World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi ended his first campaign with French club Racing 92 trophyless.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi reacts as he holds the throphy from the bus carrying the rest of the team during the Springboks Champions trophy tour in East London, South Africa, on November 5, 2023, after South Africa won the France 2023 Rugby World Cup final match against New Zealand. Picture: WIKUS DE WET / AFP
Siya Kolisi - our world-renowned captain who brought home back-to-back Rugby World Cups - moved to France last year when he was bought to play for French rugby club 'Racing 92'.
However, Kolisi's stint with the club has ended after a poor review from the rugby club's owner, Jacky Lorenzetti.
Lorenzetti told the French publication Midi Olympique that Kolisi's debut season was hampered by injury and poor performance, particularly in the weekend's French Top 14 playoff defeat to Bordeaux-Begles.
"Kolisi had a remarkable start to the season, where he was a unifier off the field,” noted Lorenzetti.
But the positive feedback stopped there.
"He didn’t bring anything, we must be clear. It was not the impact player we expected," Lorenzetti went on.
"The injury layoff was harmful to him. He gained weight, lost shape and yesterday [against Bordeaux] he was transparent. In the back row, we used to have an ultra-present warrior, a warrior called Wenceslas Lauret. For the moment, Siya is not making us forget Wenceslas. But we think that next year, that will change," added Lorenzetti.