Siya Kolisi is one of the greatest Springbok captains in history. Coming from the Zwide tribe, Siya embodies a hilarious, joyful character rooted in his rural culture. Off the pitch, Siya is a vibe, as shown in most of his social media posts and public appearances.
With an illustrious career spanning several years, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has quickly become one of the most celebrated rugby players to have ever played the game. His leadership and talent in winning the Rugby World Cup consecutively remain in the hearts of South Africans.
SUMMARY
Full name: Siyamthanda Kolisi
Date of birth: 16 June 1991
Age: 34 years
Place of birth: Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Wife: Rachel Kolisi (m 2016 – 2025)
Children: 3 (Nicholas Siyamthanda, and Keziah Kolisi
Height: 1.86 m
Weight: 103 kg
GET TO KNOW SPRINGBOK CAPTAIN SIYA KOLISI
The star from the Zwide tribe was born on 19 June 1991 in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Growing up in a troubled family background, Siya made his way up thanks to his rugby talent, which nobody could take away from him.
EARLY LIFE
The Springboks loose forward grew up in Zwide, iBhayi, a township in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape Province. However, Siya lost his mother Phakama when he was 15 years old and started living wth his grandmother, Nolulamile, until she passed away.
Like many other stars, Siya found his breakthrough at the age of 12.
His top performances during a rugby tournament in Mossel Bay earned him a scholarship at Grey High School.
During his time at the school, he represented the Eastern Province Kings youth team. He also had the chance to star for Western Province between 2010 and 2012.
Siya Kolisi also represented South Africa’s national under-18 team (South Africa’s Schools team) during his early career.
PERSONAL LIFE
In 2016, Siya Kolisi tied the knot with Rachel Smith, and the two share two children: Nicholas Siyamthanda (born in 2014) and daughter Keziah (born in 2017).
The two extended their family in 2014 when they adopted Siya Kolisi’s half-siblings Liyema and Liphelo, whom they have embraced as their own children.
On 22 October 2024, Siya and Rachel Kolisi made a shock announcement by divorcing online.
The two went on to reveal that they intend to remain friends, prioritising their children and collaborating on their foundation.
SIYA LOVES TO DANCE
Speaking of Siya Kolisi away from rugby, it’s not possible not to imagine him dancing. Whenever Siya finds some free space, even in the dressing room, he sings.
When on vacation, he sings and dances, and it has become one of Siya Kolisi’s signatures. A free man who enjoys himself and, in doing so, unites fans across the globe both on and off the pitch.
MORE ABOUT RACHEL AND SIYA AFTER DIVORCE
After their divorce in October 2024, Rachel and Siya Kolisi became a topic of conversation around rugby circles. Many people looked to see how they would relate as co-parents and how they would manage it. For some time, Rachel spoke in riddles about betrayal by loved ones, but she had not revealed the real reason behind her divorce. Conversely, Siya had been living as if nothing had happened, looking happy and even playing better.
To show their good coparenting skills, Rachel flew to France to support Siya at his Springboks’ 100th Test. She travelled with their kids, and they also had a wonderful time in France with their father.
To sum up how well they have managed their divorce, Rachel is also staying with Siya Kolisi’s sister, Liphelo. And she had been showing her so much love despite divorcing Siya.
SIYA KOLISI’S NEW GIRLFRIEND
After his divorce from Rachel Kolisi, Siya moved on to another Rachel and has been in love ever since. His new girlfriend is Rachel John, a Dutch influencer.
In January 2026, the two lovebirds went on a vacation together to Victoria Falls, but the trip divided fans. Victoria Falls is the place Siya went on honeymoon with his ex-wife, Rachel, and that did not sit well with some fans.
Indeed, Siya Kolisi is an attention-drawer, whether on the rugby field or in his personal life.
WHO ARE SIYA KOLISI’S BEST RUGBY FRIENDS?
Undoubtedly, Siya Kolisi’s best friend in rugby is Eben Etzebeth, and the two are like brothers. In the dressing room, their lockers are always close to each other, and off the rugby field, they are also near. With Eben, they visit each other’s families and have grown to be like family friends. Siya is also close to All Blacks vice-captain Ardie Savea. Siya’s close relationship with Savea shocked many fans, as the All Blacks and the Springboks are the fiercest rivals on the pitch.
In October 2025, Siya visited Savea’s family and spent time with them after their game in New Zealand. This character showed that Siya Kolisi is both a top professional and a top friend.
Besides having friends from rugby, Siya is becoming an international icon across different sports. His recent engagement with football legends like Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry had fans praising him even more.
In January 2026, he hosted Arsenal legend Ian Wright in South Africa, and he showed them the streets. He gave him African food and taught him a lot about African culture, including braai.
WHY EVEN RIVAL FANS LOVE SIYA?
Over the years, Siya Kolisi has been one of the most talked-about rugby players in South Africa and worldwide. His record as a double Rugby World Cup captain made him one of the greats. On several occasions, he has interacted with legends from various sports, including football’s Thierry Henry and many African legends.
Moreover, rival fans also praised him for who he is, mainly off the pitch. After games, unlike some players, he always shows love and respect to opposition players and fans. Recently, Italian fans thanked him, saying he had taught Italy something new by swapping shirts with Ange Capuozzo.
A LEGENDARY CAREER
Undoubtedly, only a few rugby players can speak about having a greater career than Siya Kolisi. From junior rugby to senior rugby to the Springboks, Siya’s path is adorned with the flowers of success.
SENIOR CAREER
Siya Kolisi made his senior debut for Western Province against the Golden Lions in the 2011 Vodacom Cup. He went on to feature for the provincial team till 2021.
In 2012, he starred for the Stomers and left in 2020. He made over 100 appearances for the club and scored 95 points from his appearances.
In 2021, he joined the Sharks and left after 31 appearances and 20 points in 2023. In 2023, Siya Kolisi joined French side Racing 92 after captaining the Springboks in their second Rugby World Cup win.
However, in 2024, he returned home and has been with the Sharks since then. Between 2010 and 2011, he made eight appearances for the South African under-20 team, scoring 10 points.
SPRINGBOKS
On 15 June 2013, he made his senior debut with the Springboks. Since then, he has led the team to success and captained it in two Rugby World Cup finals, in 2019 in Japan and 2023 in France.
The two Rugby World Cup wins saw him become the second captain to lift the tournament twice after All Blacks Richie McCaw.
With the next world showdown slated for 2027, will Siya Kolisi win his third Rugby World Cup and go down in the history books as the first captain to win the cup thrice?
Apart from that, he now stands as the only Springbok captain to have won four consecutive matches against the All Blacks, their biggest rivals.
In 2024, Siya Kolisi also went down in history as the first South African Rugby captain to have won the most trophies in a single calendar year. He won six medals.
SALARY AND CARS
With an illustrious career spanning years, she has earned a fortune not only for his time on the pitch but also through endorsement deals.
According to reports, Siya Kolisi has a net worth of around R35 million. However, it is unclear whether he will lose half his fortune after his divorce from Rachel Kolisi.
In recent years, clubs have kept player salaries under wraps; however, in 2024, the media reported that Siya Kolisi was earning approximately R1.55 million per month.
This undoubtedly equates to a whopping R358,000 per week and an estimated R71,578 per day as of December 2024. Siya did not show much of his cars, especially during his marriage to Rachel. However, he has recently shown some of the flashiest Mercs in the past few months. Siya owns more cars, and the few he showed are only the ones caught on camera.