Springboks coaches ‘don’t have the right’ to retire players as plans to avoid ‘dark period’ detailed by Siya Kolisi

Siya Kolisi is confident that he will still be in the Springboks’ mix when they attempt a Rugby World Cup three-peat in Australia in 2027.
The Bok skipper is set to make his first appearance in Green and Gold this year after missing the first four games due to a nigglesome neck injury.
At the age of 34, the back-rower is entering the twilight of his career but has altered his previous plans of hanging up his Test boots, which he originally set in 2023.
Kolisi’s end goal
Ahead of his 93rd appearance for the Springboks, against Georgia in Nelspruit, Kolisi has confirmed his end goal before he brings his international career to a close and has his eyes on representing the Green and Gold in Australia in 2027.
“My body feels good,” he told reporters on Friday.
“It’s all about seeing how it goes year by year and game by game. But that is the end goal. I still want to be there.”
By that time, Kolisi will be 36 years old, but that does not concern him at all, and neither does it for the Springboks coaches.
“Coach Rassie has made it clear that you can be 36, but if you are the fittest 36-year-old, that’s all that you need,” he said.
I don’t need to be the fittest out of everyone. It’s all about what I can do and produce on the field. I still feel as good as I feel today. I think I’ll be there because of the coaching and conditioning staff and medical teams.”
Assistant coach Mzwandile Stick confirmed that the coaches wouldn’t be making the decision for any of the players, echoing Rassie Erasmus‘ previous sentiments that if a player is still meeting the right requirements.
“It would be unfair for coaches to force players to retire,” he said.
Our job is to coach the players, and the more that the players produce [the more they stick around]. Siya is in good shape.