Siya Kolisi cleared to captain Springboks against All Blacks in Cape Town

Siya Kolisi has been cleared to start and captain South Africa against the All Blacks in Cape Town on Saturday after recovering from a grade-two hamstring tear. His return restores him to the leadership role for the next match in the series.

Pieter-Steph du Toit had initially been named captain and will still make his 100th Test appearance. Du Toit will now join Kolisi and Jasper Wiese in the Springboks’ loose trio, while Paul de Villiers drops out of the matchday squad.

Kolisi’s hamstring problem was considered less serious than the injuries he suffered before the 2019 and 2023 tournaments, but the Springboks took a careful approach to his recovery. He was required to complete full-intensity running on Monday and Tuesday, and reported no discomfort during those sessions.

The decision to return the captaincy to Kolisi also allows Du Toit to concentrate on his milestone match. South Africa’s coaches believe the responsibilities of leading the side could add to the pressure already attached to reaching 100 Tests, while Kolisi’s influence remains important both during matches and within the wider group.

South Africa arrive after losing last week’s match in Johannesburg. The defeat leaves them one match behind in the series, meaning another loss in Cape Town would end their chance of winning it and leave a drawn series as the best possible outcome.

The Springboks’ review identified a strong performance through roughly the opening hour but also highlighted inaccuracies in several areas. Coach Rassie Erasmus accepted responsibility for some of the decisions that contributed to the defeat, while saying the players had carried out much of the requested plan. The team has since used the week to recover, regroup and prepare for a response against New Zealand.