Overall, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi now has 92 Test caps to his name, and by all accounts it appears that the national coaches are determined to ensure the iconic leader is well managed in order to get through to the 2027 World Cup
With this in mind, it is interesting to actually take note of where Kolisi stands when it comes to the number of Tests where he has captained the Springboks.
As is stands, Kolisi is second on the all-time list for games as Springbok skipper, with the double World Cup winner having led the team on 61 occasions.
Only John Smit on 83 Tests is above him in terms of Tests as captain, and there was an understandable assumption that this may be a record that would never be overtaken.
However, if Kolisi does play through to the next World Cup, there is actually a very real possibility that he could surpass that figure
Consider for a moment that there are generally 12 or 13 Tests in a non-World Cup year, and even though there is no doubt that Kolisi won’t feature in every one due to injuries or game management, he will still feature prominently.
Just last year, for example, Kolisi was rested for certain Test matches and yet he still featured in nine games during the 2024 season.
If he can stay largely injury free, it’s likely that the 33-year-old will feature in at least seven or eight Tests in each of the next two years. As captain, that could take him to around 76 Tests heading into the World Cup year of 2027.
It means that there is actually every chance that Kolisi could be within touching distance of Smit’s 83-Test record as captain by 2027, which is likely to be his last year as an international player. Also don’t forget that during the previous World Cup year of 2023, he was injured for a large part of the season, and still ended up captaining the team in eight Tests.
There is so much that could happen between now and then, but it is incredible to think that Kolisi could feasibly get really close to Smit’s all-time Test captaincy record, or even go past it.
Siya Kolisi plans to play for the Springboks through to 2027
Recently Kolisi has begun to primarily at No 8 for the Sharks, and former Springbok legend Schalk Burger actually highlighted how playing at eighthman is largely less taxing than openside flank, and could help extend his international career even if he doesn’t play there for the Springboks.
“No 8 is one of those positions as you get older you don’t work as hard,” Burger said.
“You can pick your battles in and out, you can save the engine, you’re not revving it into red all the time whereas at openside flanker you have to.
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