Springbok superstar Siya Kolisi is not in good form ahead of the international series, according to his Racing 92 boss Jacky Lorenzetti.
The 33-year-old is expected to join the South African national team ahead of their three-Test series against Ireland next month and is still a strong candidate to resume his role as Bok captain.
But after playing in last weekend’s French Top 14 quarterfinal defeat to Bordeaux Begles, Lorenzetti says of Kolisi: “He put on a few kilos, lost his form and [against Bordeaux] he was invisible.
“We missed him. At the backrow we had been used to seeing an ultra-present warrior like Wenceslas Lauret.
“For now, Siya isn’t making us forget him.
“But we think next year, it will change.”
Kolisi, who had injury concerns in his first season in France following his post-World Cup move from the Sharks, admits that French food is “amazing” and that one of the physios at the club once told him he “looks like sh!t” after putting on five kilograms.
Kolisi said before the game at the weekend: “The food is amazing here, that’s why I gained too much weight when I got here.
“I gained 5kg and then I remember getting to the gym and one of the physios said 'You look like sh!t’.
“It’s why I had to cut down on the food.”
The Springboks will take the field against Wales at Twickenham this weekend without Kolisi, who is unavailable because the Test match falls out of the international window.
But he should be ready to take the field when they face Ireland at Loftus Versfeld on July 6.
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