SADC region gearing up to host 45th ordinary summit heads of state
Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is getting ready to host its 45th ordinary summit heads of state and government this month in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
The Bok skipper is set to make his first appearance in Green and Gold this year after missing the first three games due to a couple of niggling injuries.
At the age of 34, the flanker is entering the latter stages of his career but insists he isn't eyeing retirement any time soon and still wants to be a part of the 2027 World Cup.
"My body feels good," he told reporters on Friday.
"It's all about seeing how it goes year by year and game by game. But that is the end goal. I still want to be there."
Kolisi will be 36 by the time the 2027 World Cup comes around, but that does not concern him at all.
"Coach Rassie has made it clear that you can be 36, but if you are the fittest 36-year-old, that's all that you need," he said.
"I don't need to be the fittest out of everyone. It's all about what I can do and produce on the field. I still feel as good as I feel today. I think I'll be there because of the coaching and conditioning staff and medical teams."
Assistant coach Mzwandile Stick confirmed that the coaches wouldn't be making the decision for any of the players, echoing Rassie Erasmus' previous sentiments that if a player is still meeting the right requirements, he can play.
"It would be unfair for coaches to force players to retire," he said.
"Our job is to coach the players, and the more that the players produce [the more they stick around]. Siya is in good shape.
"Look at the age of Schalk Brits and Duane Vermeulen, we took them to the World Cup, and they were still producing what we needed from them.
"When we started the camps in Johannesburg with heavy fitness tests, Siya had one of the best scores in the squad. To us, age really doesn't matter that much as long as you keep producing and you can handle the load that we've got during the week, because the sessions that we are doing are very, very tough.
"If they produce the performances and keep up with our program and training, they can be 38 or 40 and will still get selected.
"We don't have the right to look at the age of a player."
At the same time, Erasmus has been planning for the future by bringing a number of new players into the Springbok mix. As many as 50 players featured for the Boks last year and nearly as many have already featured in 2025.
Kolisi understands the reasoning behind the decision, recalling the period after the 2015 Rugby World Cup when a whole host of senior Springboks retired in quick succession, leaving a void in experience that resulted in a torrid run of results and a slide in the world rankings.
"This year, there have already been 46 players in four matches. Players want to play every weekend, but we understand there's a whole plan going forward for the future of South African Rugby," he explained.
"Everybody wants a cap, you want to play while you're still hot, but Rassie keeps telling us that the coaches keep swapping the team because we have to think about the depth and the future of Springboks Rugby.
"We had a year where everyone stopped playing at the same and went through a dark period. He is honest with us in that regard. He wants to leave the Springboks in a better place when we do finish.
"We keep that in mind and what is nice about it is that he has open conversations with us and says, 'We want to win, adapt, get better and innovate, but give opportunities too.'"
Issued on SABC Sport | https://www.sabcsport.com/rugby/news/i-still-want-to-be-there-siya-kolisi-confirms-he-s-eyeing-world-cup-three-peat-in-2027
