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After weeks of stalemate Siya Kolisi to Sharks is back on

Sharks' South African flancker Siya Kolisi reacts during the European Rugby Champions Cup pool A rugby union match between Bordeaux-Begles (FRA) and Coastal Sharks (RSA) at Stade Chaban-Delmas stadium in Bordeaux on December 16, 2022. (Photo by ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP) (Photo by ROMAIN PERROCHEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Siya Kolisi’s on-off return to the Sharks is firmly back on again after American businessman Vincent Mai stepped in and offered to finance the R17 million (around £726,000) transfer fee being demanded by Racing 92.

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RugbyPass exclusively reported a couple of weeks ago that the move, which we also broke, was on the verge of collapse after Racing President Jacky Lorenzetti adopted a hard-line approach to talks.

Lorenzetti, after his side’s Top 14 play-off defeat to Bordeaux in June, claimed Kolisi “gained weight, lost shape, and yesterday he was invisible” but despite those comments was in no mood to compromise over the fee.

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Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus describes Siya Kolisi’s injury

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      Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus describes Siya Kolisi’s injury

      The Sharks are trying to negotiate a payment plan that would spread the cash over the next two or three seasons, which Lorenzetti has turned down flat and said that he wanted the full payment upfront.

      Financier Mai, the Chairman and CEO of Cranemere LLC, is part of the American consortium that owns the Sharks and who paid for Kolisi’s education at one of South Africa’s top sporting schools, Grey High.

      Mai, who played rugby at the University of Cape Town, is still close to Kolisi, his wife Rachel, and his family, who have made no secret of their debt to him.

      “Vincent is a fellow Grey boy and has invested in hundreds of kids in SA through bursaries, the majority of the time without ever meeting them. I was one of those kids.

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      “Without the opportunity, there is no way I’d be where I am today. He sowed into my life without ever knowing what would come from it, and I couldn’t be more grateful,” said Kolisi after a visit to America in 2019.

      Mai has now stepped in and has offered to pay the money to enable the Springbok skipper to return to the Sharks when the United Rugby Championship ends later next month.

      Kolisi suffered a facial injury against the All Blacks yesterday in Ellis Park and will almost certainly miss next weekend’s fixture against this same side in Cape Town.

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      Tom 59 minutes ago
      No definites, but which Wales players could still make Lions squad?

      Williams, Faletau, Lake, Morgan are the only ones who have a chance. None of them are guaranteed but I'd imagine they'll pick Williams and Morgan who could get in on merit and will likely be favoured for inclusivity.


      Williams is fighting it out with Ben White for 3rd slot behind JGP and Mitchell.

      Morgan is up against JVDF, Earl, Curry, Curry, Willis for 4 flanker slots. Morgan is a fantastic player but a huge call to leave any of those boys at home given how much Wales struggled at the breakdown against England. He's by no means solely responsible for that but it will be fresh in the minds of the selectors. Given the amount of hybrid players emerging and the inclination for a 6-2 split, they may be able to find room for a 5th flanker in the squad. In which case may be Ben Curry who misses out or Willis might be excluded given we have such depth in the players who have chosen to play for clubs this side of the channel.


      Lake and Faletau are good enough but I'd be surprised if Faletau gets picked over Conan and Lake would be up against Cowan-Dickie which I can't see happening. Blair Murray is probably 4th in the 15 pecking order behind Kinghorn, Heenan, Marcus Smith. He may be a better 15 than Smith but Smith brings versatility so would be ahead of him. Since Smith may go on tour as a 10/15 hybrid, they would already have 3 fullbacks in the squad so Murray won't make it, good player though.


      Nicky Smith and Dafydd Jenkins clutching at straws.

      3 Go to comments
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