Two-time World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has left Racing 92 with two years of his contract still to run, the French Top 14 club has announced.
“Siya Kolisi and Racing 92 have reached an agreement to end the contract,” a club statement read on Sunday.
Kolisi, who has been linked with a return home to the Sharks, arrived in France last year after the second of his Webb Ellis Cup wins with South Africa.
The not-altogether unexpected news – Kolisi’s family was reportedly homesick in the French capital – came 24 hours after the talismanic loose forward led the world champions to an 18-12 win over New Zealand in Cape Town.
Playing with a broken nose, Kolisi scored a try early in the second half as the Boks overturned a 9-3 half-time deficit in what he said was South Africa’s most important game since they won the Rugby World Cup final against the same opponents in Paris last year.
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As Kolisi was starring in the Rugby Championship, Racing opened their Top 14 season with defeat to Castres.
In their statement, Racing 92 added: “The two parties thank each other for the sporting moments in the sky blue and white jersey and wish each other in the future”.”
His move from Racing was reportedly on the brink of collapse after talks hit a deadlock.
Discussions were believed to have stalled as Racing owner Jacky Lorenzetti demanded a full repayment of the R17 million (€726,200) spent to sign Kolisi from the Sharks in early 2023.
Kolisi, who had been with Racing for less than a year, made 18 appearances last season but has faced sharp criticism from Lorenzetti. After Racing’s Top 14 playoff loss to Bordeaux, Lorenzetti accused the Springbok captain of being “out of shape and invisible”.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: @racing92/Twitter
