“I had to go to marriage counselling because I couldn’t give everything to my wife; because my heart was so hard.”
In a plot twist that has fans raising their eyebrows and reaching for the tissues, Siya and Rachel Kolisi have decided to hit pause on their fairytale romance.
Once the dynamic duo that captured hearts during Siya’s heroic leadership of the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2019 and 2023, they’ve now chosen to follow separate paths. Known for their adorable family moments and social activism, this split leaves many wondering what the future will bring.
The Kolisi’s took to Instagram on Tuesday to announce the end of their eight-year marriage. Once the poster couple for love, diversity, and beating the odds in pursuit of greatness, their joint breakup revelation caught everyone off guard.
As they navigate this new territory, both Siya and Rachel are determined to keep their friendship co-parenting game strong and show that even when love changes shape, the respect and support can remain as fierce as a Springbok on the field.
The couple first crossed paths in 2012 at a dinner party in Stellenbosch, where a friendship was formed, marking the beginning of their love story. At the time, Siya was a professional rugby player and Rachel a marketing executive. In 2013 they went on their first official date.
In 2015, Siya and Rachel celebrate the arrival of their first bundle of joy, a son named Nicholas Siyamthanda Kolisi.
Soon after, they open their home to Siya’s two siblings, Liyema and Liphelo, who sadly lost their mother in 2009. The couple got engaged in the same year and got married in 2016.
In 2018, Siya makes history as the first black captain of the Springboks and leads the team to a triumphant victory in the Rugby World Cup in 2019.
In 2020, Siya and Rachel start The Kolisi Foundation, dedicated to reshaping the inequality in South Africa. And the adventure continues as the family relocates to France, where Siya takes on new challenges playing for Racing 92.
In 2023, Siya once again leads the Springbok team to victory in the Rugby World Cup.
In 2024 the family returns to South Africa, where Siya teams up with the Sharks. Soon after Rachel and Siya announce their divorce on social media.
Siya’s candid talk: From tough upbringing to triumph
In 2023 Siya opened up about his tough upbringing and the rollercoaster ride of his early days with Rachel, and the hurdles they had to jump over to get to where they are today. In a candid chat with Welsh rugby star Dan Biggar for the Daily Mail, Siya took a trip down memory lane, reflecting on his tough upbringing in Zwide, Gqeberha.
“Growing up in the township, your parents aren’t watching you every minute, and kids end up seeing things they shouldn’t – smoking, drinking, and even hearing people being intimate in the house.
“We started smoking and drinking when I was still a kid. Me and my friends would put money in together and stuff was cheap. A couple of my friends went the other way and I started going to rugby training.”
Siya also shared that he and Rachel had no choice but to turn to marriage counselling. “I had to go to marriage counselling because I couldn’t give everything to my wife; because my heart was so hard and I didn’t know how to speak,” Siya said in the interview.
He reflected on how normalised things were in his community: “In my community you see it so many times that it becomes normal. That’s not good, being immune to things like that. If a man and a woman argued, then it would end up in a fight, because men don’t really speak.”
In his late 20s, Siya finally sought help. “The first time I went, the therapist said: ‘You are damaged in every level. The stuff that you saw is not normal. It’s extreme, it’s bad. You have to speak about it, get through it. That’s why you grew up and your heart is so hard.’”
In opening up about his struggles and healing journey, Siya hopes to inspire others to seek help and break the cycle of emotional silence. His story is a powerful reminder that no matter where you come from or what you’ve been through, it’s never too late to start talking and rebuild your life.
