Siya Kolisi: 'The move to France will give me more time with Rachel and kids'
"Rachel and the kids have sacrificed so much," says Siya.
Siya later! Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, is off to France later this year after ending his contract with the Cell C Sharks.
He says the move was significantly motivated by his family.
The 31-year-old announced on Tuesday that he will be joining French club Racing 92 after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The Sharks team has agreed to release him from his multi-year contract early.
The announcement came as a shock to the rugby star's fans - especially after his wife, Rachel Kolisi, and their children officially moved to Durban last month.
Siya joined the Sharks in February 2021 and Rachel revealed that the rest of the family would not immediately move to Durban.
"We’ll be [Siya] & @sharksrugby number 1 supporters from Cape Town for the next 10 months. Pray for me," she wrote on Instagram at the time.
Rachel and Siya have two children together - Nicholas and Keziah. The couple also take care of Siya's younger siblings, Liyema and Liphelo.
Siya says he will now be able to spend more time with his loved one.
"Rachel and the kids have sacrificed so much throughout my career and I am immeasurably grateful for this. The move to Racing 92 will enable me to spend more time with my family, which is something I have longed for, and this prospect played a significant part in my decision-making," he wrote on Instagram.
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Despite their big move to France, Siya says South Africa will always be home.
"It should also be stated that although I will be spending time in France, Rachel and I will continue to be as involved as ever with the Kolisi Foundation and have a presence in South Africa. Our beautiful country will always be home for us, and we look forward to returning after this chapter. This is an exciting time for my family and I, and we’d like to thank everyone for their support," he concluded.
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Main image credit: Instagram/@siyakolisi (Family photoshoot with Derryn Schmidt)