Siya Kolisi bites back at critics as Sharks set sights on Bulls

TimesLIVE

2 days ago

As the United Rugby Championship (URC) heads into its decisive stages, all eyes turn to Pretoria this weekend, where the Sharks square off against the Bulls in a blockbuster South African derby semifinal.
Despite finishing third in the regular season, the Sharks have come under scrutiny for what many have described as an 'underwhelming' campaign, a label Springbok captain Siya Kolisi dismisses with calm defiance.
The Sharks, who edged past Munster in a dramatic 100-minute thriller last weekend, are no strangers to gritty battles.
Deadlocked at 24-24, the clash in Durban went to a rare penalty kick shoot-out where the Sharks triumphed 4-2. It was a match that highlighted their resilience and their unpredictability.
🖤 "Having a brother that's always been with you from a young age is very special."
The Hendrikse brothers stepped up in the shootout this weekend to help lead the Sharks into the #VURC semi-finals.
📺 Bulls vs Sharks | Saturday | 18:15 kick-off pic.twitter.com/3n2pnYCLmw
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 3, 2025
'I know this is a huge topic, there are many reasons why we haven't played to our full potential,' Kolisi told SportsBoom.co.za.
'A lot of people are looking at the results and the way we play. We know it's something we need to work on and when we review our games, we see our shortcomings.
'Sometimes it's only the one person who is at fault at a particular time.'
Kolisi insisted the Sharks are building something powerful and are not concerned with outside opinions.
'The most important thing is we are winning and we know there will be a day where we will play well. We have a lot of confidence [in beating the Bulls] as our team has done this before.
'We have beaten the Bulls three times this season, but we know all of that means nothing and it will be a new fixture this weekend. We have a lot of confidence heading into the match.'
Akhona Sihunu and Israel Dagg were two players that Aphelele Fassi admired during his Dale College days 🤝
But his first inspiration comes from watching his older brothers playing rugby for the school 🖤🤍
📺 Bulls vs Sharks | Saturday | 18:15 kick-off | #VURC pic.twitter.com/TpudqfYBoM
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 5, 2025
One of the biggest talking points of the Sharks' season has been the inability of their star-studded line-up, featuring up to 12 Springboks, to consistently replicate their dominant international form at club level. Kolisi is unfazed by that.
'The game plan [for Springboks and Sharks] is not the same, so I can't answer that question. I personally give my all for both the Sharks and Springboks.
'They are just two different systems we as players have to deal with, but if people are doubting our effort when we play for the Sharks, they must come look at our stats when we play for the Sharks and when we play for the Springboks.'
Saturday's showdown was not without drama. In the shoot-out, Sharks scrumhalf Jaden Hendrickse drew attention after what appeared to be a taunt directed at Munster's Jack Crowley.
Hendrickse, who cramped up immediately after his kick, was seen winking at Crowley, sparking an on-field verbal exchange caught clearly by the referee's microphone.
'There is absolutely nothing wrong with what Jaden did there. These things happen in rugby and other teams have done similar things before,' Kolisi said.
'Sometimes people also say things to me in a game and the onus is on the person and what they do when they are provoked.
'There are players in Jack's team [Munster] who do the exact same thing to other players from the opposition. It's just that this time it was heard on the referee's mic. We stand with Jaden.
'We're not going to get distracted. The focus is this weekend, nothing else.'
With the Bulls seen by many as favourites to reach the URC final, the Sharks find themselves again in the role of disrupters.
They may not have lit up the season with flair, but in knockout rugby, grit often trumps style. And if the past three meetings between the two this season are anything to go by, the Durban outfit have every reason to believe they can prevail.