Two-time Rugby World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and does not shy away from touching on topics that he is passionate about.
During the course of the World Cup South Africans saw glimpses of just what a great leader he is when he stuck up for fellow teammate Manie Libbok who was heavily criticised for missing important kicks – then there was also the heartfelt moment where he expressed his gratitude towards former Springbok coach Jaques Nienaber for his leadership.
Meanwhile, Siya has come a long way since then, from experiencing an inspiring trophy tour, to traveling to the Big Apple with his Siya Kolisi foundation. The 32-year-old is making a difference wherever he goes.
This past month Siya and his family have settled into their new life in France where he represents the French team Racing 92.
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In an interview with Daily Mail, Siya speaks about his past experiences and what winning the biggest accolade in rugby meant to him.
To this he responded by saying that it was 20 times more inspirational than in 2019.
“It just meant more to the people of South Africa.”
“When we went home I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. In Cape Town, the bus couldn’t move. You’d look up and you couldn’t see land, you just see people. Then you turn a corner and there are even more people. It was special.”
Siya added that the country is going through so much adversity, but when the boks came to the various cities. It seemed as if everyone was just waiting for something to lift their spirits.
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Being the inspirational person he is, many have nominated him to be the next President, however, Siya quickly dismissed this suggestion saying that politics is just not for him.
“Political involvement? Not my scene. My focus is on my foundation. I recently visited New York to engage in fundraising activities for it. Sadly, South Africa holds the unfortunate top spot in global gender-based violence statistics. The issue hits close to home, with my aunt and mother being the first individuals I knew who faced abuse.”
Meanwhile, he adds that he would like to continue playing the beautiful game, and be a mentor to others coming through the system.
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