Springbok captain Kolisi opts for surgery as World Cup hangs in balance

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi was set to go under the knife in Cape Town on Friday.

Kolisi suffered a knee injury playing a URC game for the Sharks against Munster in Durban last weekend.

Fears emerged that Kolisi might miss the Rugby World Cup in France later this year, after it came to light that he had suffered an ACL tear.

News24 reported earlier in the week that Kolisi faced two options: either go under the knife or wait for the injury to heal which could take up to four months.

The Bok skipper has opted for the former option, but there's still uncertainty over whether he'll be fit in time for the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Kolisi was set to receive a National Order of Ikhamanga award on Friday but could not be present as he underwent the operation. His wife Rachel was present at the award ceremony in Durban.

The presidential accolade is awarded to South African citizens who have excelled in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism, or sport.

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In the 2023 Test season, the Springboks will play two matches at home against Australia (Loftus Versfeld, 8 July) and Argentina (Ellis Park, 29 July) interspersed with away games against New Zealand (Auckland, 15 July) and Argentina (Buenos Aires, 5 August).

Their World Cup preparation will be wrapped up with games against Wales in Cardiff (19 August) and New Zealand in London (25 August) before heading south to France for their World Cup title defence.

The World Cup runs from 8 September to 28 October. The Boks will feature in Pool B alongside Ireland, Scotland, Tonga and Romania.

South Africa's 33-man squad for the World Cup will be named on 8 August.