Fijivillage
19 February, 2026, 11:00 am
Central - 29°C Clouds
19 February, 2026, 11:00 am Central - 29°C Clouds

Springboks captain Siya Kolisi returns to face All Blacks in Rugby Championship

Springboks captain Siya Kolisi returns to face All Blacks in Rugby Championship

By Navitalai Naivalurua
27/08/2025

Siya Kolisi has recovered from injury and will lead the Springbok side for the two highly anticipated tests against the All Blacks.

The Springbok skipper sustained an injury against the Wallabies in their shock loss at Ellis Park, which led to him leaving the field early in the second half.

Coach Rassie Erasmus named his 35 member squad for their All Blacks test, with only three players who featured against the Wallabies missing.

Wings Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe, along with loose forward Cobus Wiese, will not make the trip for the test matches in Auckland and Wellington.

Erasmus says Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Willie le Roux, and Jan-Hendrik Wessels have been medically cleared from their niggles, while all the players who faced Australia in Cape Town have received a clean bill of health and will be ready to face the All Blacks.

Number eight Jasper Wiese is still currently serving a suspension after being sent off against Italy last month and will only be eligible for selection for the second test.

Erasmus says facing the All Blacks in New Zealand is a massive challenge, but all the teams in this competition are ranked among the top sides in the world, and each one has the potential to beat one another on the day.

He says in the last two months alone, Australia defeated them at Ellis Park and went down narrowly in their British & Irish Lions Series defeat, while Argentina defeated New Zealand last weekend and the British & Irish Lions, so they are not paying much attention to their historic records in New Zealand.

While the All Blacks have a formidable record at Eden Park, having not lost there since 1994, the Springboks have not won at New Zealand's largest stadium since 1937.

Auckland has not been kind to them, even away from Eden Park, as they suffered a record 57-0 defeat to the All Blacks at North Harbour Stadium in 2017 and a 35-20 loss at Mt Smart in 2023.

The Springboks will take on the All Blacks at 7.05pm next Saturday at Eden Park.

Meanwhile, the Wallabies will host Argentina at 4.30pm next Saturday at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

South Africa touring team Forwards: Lood de Jager, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Marnus van der Merwe, Marco van Staden, Boan Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Jasper Wiese (available for second test only).

Backs: Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie, Handré Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse.

[Source: RNZ Sports]

FNRL
FEATURE NEWS
Bainimarama and Qiliho to appear in Court today regarding inciting to mutiny charges
Former Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho will appear in court today after being charged with inciting...
3 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Fiji Hardwood declares first-ever $500,000 dividend since 1998
Fiji Hardwood Corporation Limited has declared its first-ever dividend of $500,000 to the Government of Fiji following its Annual General Meeting on ...
2 hours ago

Grammy-winning US songwriter Billy Steinberg dies at 75-yrs-old
Grammy-winning songwriter Billy Steinberg, a key figure behind a string of chart-topping hits including Madonna's Like a Virgin, has died at the age ...
3 hours ago

Two vehicles involved in head-on collision in Waigasau, Veisari
Two vehicles were involved in a head-on collision in Waigasau, Veisari, last night.When contacted this morning, Police told fijivillage News they are ...
3 hours ago

Ramadan to start tomorrow
The moon for Ramadan has not been sighted, and the Fiji Muslim League confirms fasting will now begin tomorrow.Speaking to fijivillage News, Mufti ...
3 hours ago

Rokobua Naiyaga is new Chairperson of the Higher Education Commission Fiji
Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro in consultation with the Prime Minister, has appointed Rokobua Naiyaga as the new Chairperson of the Higher ...
4 hours ago



Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Minister ready to repay business class air fare for wife as concerns grow about Sports Council deals
I was invited to travel to New Zealand by the Fiji Sports Council for a grassroots 7s tournament in 2024, I travelled business class but it was ...
13 days ago

Malimali and others filed for judicial review into COI
The application for leave for the judicial review has been made by former FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali, former Attorney General Graham Leung ...
13 days ago

Malimali’s legal battle against President, PM and AG
Another legal battle starts today as sacked FICAC Commissioner, Barbara Malimali takes her matter to court against the President, Prime Minister and ...
14 days ago

TOP