The countdown to the 2023 Rugby World Cup has kicked off. There are four months left and each player is working hard to be in tip-top shape. Springboks captain Siya Kolisi recently suffered from a knee injury that needed him to go for an operation.?

RECOVERING WELL

It has been a few days since undergoing the emergency operation on his knee, and the Gqeberha sportsman has since shared a health update.  His surgery comes after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during his final Sharks match against Munster in Durban. The surgery comes exactly four months before the kick-off of the Rugby World Cup in France in September. "Op went well. The hard work starts now,' he says. "Thanks for all the prayers, messages, and support.' This, he accompanied with a Bible verse from Isiah 60: 22, which reads: "When the time is right, I, The Lord, will make it happen. This is a reminder that God will provide for a plan and purpose he's created for me at the moment.'

WINNING THE WORLD CUP

The pressure is high as South Africa won the 2019 Rugby World Cup against Japan. The match saw South Africa claim their third Rugby World Cup title with a 32?"12 victory, with tries from Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe adding to six penalties and two conversions from Handré Pollard. The official player of the match was South Africa's number eight, Duane Vermeulen. The 20-nation competition will take place between 8 September and 28 October 2023. Following the World Cup, many are expecting Siya to join his new club, French team Racing 92, a rugby union club based in suburban Paris that was formed in 2001.