Bok coach confirms Sharks’ approach for Kolisi

Rassie Erasmus has confirmed the Sharks’ interest in luring Bok captain Siya Kolisi back from Paris.

News broke last Friday that Kolisi had asked his club Racing 92 for an early release from a contract that is supposed to terminate in 2026.

While the Sharks were not available to comment at the weekend, Erasmus explained as he announced his team on Tuesday for the Boks’ Rugby Championship opener against Australia on Saturday there had been contact between the franchise and SA Rugby on the matter.

“This is out-and-out a Sharks decision,” the Bok head coach said. 

“We back it up and want to support something like that. When they asked us, we said we would support it. They will obviously officially announce it. They asked us to join up in the conversation if we want him back and our answer was ‘yes’.

 “You want your captain in your country, but I’m not sure how far the deal is or when it will be announced. We know about it, and we are happy about it.”

Kolisi, who left the Sharks for Paris last November, is likely to take a salary cut should he chose to return to Durban. Racing 92, having paid the Sharks a reported €850,000 (R16.95m) to get the Bok captain out of his contract in 2023, are likely to seek notable compensation.

Having signed a five-year contract with the Parisian club for a reported €1m (R19.7m) per year, Kolisi’s release will command a considerable transfer fee.

SA Rugby, through its CEO Rian Oberholzer, made it clear no special provisions will be made to help smooth Kolisi’s path back to SA.

“He will be treated like any other player,” he said last weekend. “He will get a PONI [player of national interest] contract and contributions go to his province.”

Oberholzer clarified how contributions are made: “He will get a URC [United Rugby Championship] contract and a PONI contract like any other player of national interest. The province he goes to gets the PONI contract money that helps pay his salary.

“It is definitely to our benefit if he comes back, but this is not something that is driven by us.”