Kolisi sidelined after wife’s Covid-19 case
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi has been forced to pull out of two rugby games in South Africa after his wife contracted the Covid-19 virus.
Kolisi – who captained the Springboks to victory at the 2019 Rugby World Cup – was a late scratching from Western Province’s Currie Cup match against Griquas on Boxing Day.
The 29-year-old flanker, who has tested negative, will also miss this weekend’s match with the Cheetahs.
Western Province coach John Dobson said before the Griquas game that Kolisi’s absence was a result of being in contact with a Covid-19 sufferer.
‘‘We found out late on Friday,’’ Dobson said. ‘‘He has to isolate for 10 days, so he won’t be available for next week [against the Cheetahs].’’’
Kolisi’s wife, Rachel, confirmed on social media that she had been diagnosed with Covid-19, although she ‘‘never had a fever, no sore throat no coughing’’.
‘‘I actually spent the day in the pool and assumed I had a sinus infection. I realised I couldn’t smell anything so went straight into isolation until I received my positive result.’’
She said it had been ‘‘so rough and scary at times, especially when you have small kids who don’t understand why they can’t touch you’’.
‘‘My heart breaks for those in hospital having to fight this alone, not knowing if they’ll see their loved ones again.
‘‘Equally my heart breaks for the healthcare workers working tirelessly and understaffed while others are not taking the safety precautions seriously at all.’’
Rachel Kolisi hoped that by posting her Covid status she might raise awareness of the virus and encourage others to ‘‘take one extra step of precaution’’.
‘‘Covid is not like flu. It’s so much worse . . . People are dying.
‘‘It’s clear our numbers in SA are out of control – we’re just short of 1 million cases. Yet some people are more relaxed about it then ever.’’
Kolisi called on people to ‘‘continue to remember the seriousness of this virus and do everything we can to protect those around us’’.