Siya Kolisi

SIYA KOLISI arrived at the Rugby World Cup in Japan as a captain. He returned home a leader. The Springbok triumph in November 2019 was the culmination of a journey against incredible odds.

As a boy, the deck was stacked against Siya Kolisi. Born into poverty in Zwide township, near Port Elizabeth, he was raised by his grandmother as his mother was too young to cope and his father worked in Cape Town. Food was scarce and young Siya often went to bed hungry.

But Siya had one great passion: rugby. He would spend his free time playing for the African Bombers Club until, one day, he was offered a rugby scholarship to Grey High School. Thus began one of the most remarkable success stories in rugby history, one that culminated in his appointment as the first black Springbok captain.

Against All Odds, an unauthorised biography, traces Siya’s journey from a dusty township to the summit of international rugby. It is a story of grit and determination. From SA Schools matches to success with the Stormers and Western Province to the devastating lows brought on by injury, Siya just keeps on going. As Springbok captain, he has fulfilled the hopes of a rugby-mad nation. Read about this remarkable journey of a great South African.