SA Rugby has denied reports that it plans to buy Springboks captain Siya Kolisi out of his contract with French club Racing 92.
On Saturday, SA Rugby refuted claims that it intended to buy Kolisi out of his contract with the Parisian team after widespread reports on Friday suggested the two-time Rugby World Cup-winning captain wanted to leave Racing 92 just one year into his three-year deal.
The Rugby Pass website had reported that the national governing body would pay a fee for the 33-year-old Kolisi’s return to South Africa.
“Media are advised that speculation that SA Rugby is involved in the ‘buy-out’ of the club contract of Siya Kolisi is without any basis in fact,” SA Rugby stated. “SA Rugby also wishes to make clear that it is not in any way involved in any conversations relating to such an outcome should they, in fact, be taking place,” it added.
Former Sharks and Stormers forward Kolisi is currently with the Springboks squad ahead of next Saturday’s Rugby Championship opener against Australia in Brisbane.
According to the French newspaper L’Equipe, Kolisi is set to return to Racing in late September, after the end of the tournament, and will miss the first four rounds of the new Top 14 season.
In June, Racing owner Jacky Lorenzetti mentioned that the iconic flanker, named among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people of the year, was “invisible” after the team’s loss in the Top 14 playoffs.
Racing will begin their new league campaign at Castres on September 7, aiming for their first title since 2016. Ex-England captain Owen Farrell is their major signing ahead of the season.
