Springbok captain Siyamthanda and Rachel Kolisi packed up and jetted off to France to join Racing 92 in Paris. But surprising his fans, Siya, as he is affectionately known, and some of his Springbok teammates touched down Mzansi, where he was announced as South African Tourism New Global Advocate and gave an update on his knee recovery.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

Traditional isiXhosa igwijo songs filled the room as Siya’s teammates walk into the fan-filled Sky Hotel in Sandton. This is where, South African Tourism revealed, in a moving 90-second video titled "The Best Of Us", that South Africa’s rugby captain is their new global brand advocate, making him the first of the advocates who form part of a new global campaign that looks to celebrate the country’s excellence. 

HIS RECOVERY

Siya underwent an emergency operation. His surgery came after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament  during his final Sharks match against Munster in Durban. The surgery was exactly four months before the kick-off of the Rugby World Cup in France in September. Siya says he feels positive about his recovery. "I am confident that I will be good in time for the World Cup," he says. "It hasn’t been easy, but I am recovering well. Myself and the team do not take the support lightly. South Africa expects a lot from us."

HIS CAREER

Hailing from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, Siya has captured the hearts of South Africans and the world as captain of the South African rugby team, the Springboks. He captained the South African team at the 2019 International Rugby World Cup in Yokohama, Japan, defeating England 322-12 in the final to lift the Webb Ellis Cup. This was South Africa’s third World Cup win and Siya became the first black captain of a World Cup-winning side in the history of the sport. "I’m super excited about this partnership because as a proud advocate for our country, I’ve always spoken about how much I love South Africa, and what a special place it is," Siya says. "I see this partnership as an opportunity to promote the entire tourism sector in South Africa, and I want to be a leading voice in encouraging everyone to come and see the best of what the country, and we as South Africans, have to offer."