Racing owner gets personal in bizzare public criticism of Siya Kolisi

Racing 92 owner Jacky Lorenzetti has accused Siya Kolisi of being “transparent” in their Top 14 semi-final defeat to Bordeaux-Begles at the weekend amid a scathing assessment of the South Africa captain’s first season in Paris.

The double World Cup-winning skipper arrived at La Defense Arena last year after lifting the Webb Ellis Cup, and made a “remarkable” start to life in sky blue and white according to Lorenzetti.

However, the Racing chief believes the hand injury the Springbok sustained in March, and subsequent surgery, was something that he did not recover from. Though the 33-year-old did make a return to action a month later, Lorenzetti feels he was unable to recapture the form he had previously shown.

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Speaking to French outlet Midi Olympique shortly after his side’s season came to a close, Lorenzetti pulled no punches in his assessment of Kolisi’s season, comparing him to his predecessor Wenceslas Lauret, and even accusing the Springbok of being overweight.

He does, however, have faith that Kolisi will come good next season, with the club set to be further bolstered by the arrival of former England captain Owen Farrell.

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“He had a remarkable start to the season, where he was a unifier off the field,” he said in the interview.

“The break was harmful to him. He gained weight, lost form and yesterday he was transparent. […] We miss it.

“In the back row, we used to have an ultra-present warrior, a warrior called Wenceslas Lauret. For the moment, Siya does not let us forget him.

“But we think that next year, that will change.”

The 83-cap Springbok was not the only Racing player in the firing line as Lorenzetti picked apart another trophy-less season for the Parisians. Another new recruit, Fiji’s Josua Tuisova, was also lambasted, and accused of not making the impact they expected after arriving from Lyon.

“He didn’t bring anything, we must be clear,” he said. “It was not the impact player we expected.”

In the Fijian’s defence, he only made his debut in May after a six-month lay-off due to a knee injury sustained during the World Cup, so he can be excused for struggling to instantly return to his destructive best.