Siya Kolisi didn’t always believe that a comeback from injury before the Rugby World Cup was possible but thanks to his wife Rachel he found the faith.
Kolisi said that Rachel was his rock through the injury and gave him the belief that he would lead the Springboks Rugby World Cup defence.
RACHEL KOLISI DOES HER BIT AS PRAYER WARRIOR WIFE
His doctors were optimistic once he had been scanned and it seems Rachel’s prayers have been answered.
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“I had a lot of doubts but she [wife Rachel] just prayed, and then also the specialists … from the day they saw my scans they told me this [a comeback] was possible,” Kolisi said.
Kolisi took encouragement from having players around him who had been through similar surgeries and come back.
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He added: “And guys like RG [Snyman] Handre [Pollard], Pieter-Steph [du Toit] who’ve been through this operation before, it was really lifting to have them by side, talking to me and when I’m feeling something weird they’re like, ‘no, it’s OK’. And obviously coach Jacques and Rassie [Erasmus], in believing in me and giving me the opportunity.”
SIYA KOLISI RETURNS
Kolisi is set to test his fitness against Wales on Saturday in what might be the focal point of their warm-up Test in Cardiff.
Faith is a key part of Kolisi’s life and his marriage to Rachel and he is at peace as he prepares to give it his all for the Springboks.
“Now all I can do is go out tomorrow [Saturday] and give it all I can for as long as I can, and that’s been my way of saying thank you for the backing and all the hard work that everyone has put in,” he said.
“I had to believe in powers far stronger than me, because there’s no way I could justify or explain how I was healing so quickly. Even some of the medical team did say this is not normal.
“Everyone that’s worked on my knee we’ve given everything in our power to get to this point … I’m not walking in fear, I’m walking in confidence because I feel good.”