Siya Kolisi is in danger of missing the World Cup after picking up a knee injury with the Sharks, meaning South Africa may be forced to pick a new captain to defend their title.

The 31-year-old flanker was forced from the field in his final Cell C Sharks game against Munster on the weekend and initial reports in South Africa suggest the Springbok skipper has sustained serious damage to his knee.

Kolisi lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in Yokohama back in 2019 after South Africa dismantled England in the final but may be deprived of the chance of following in the footsteps of Richie McCaw by captaining his country to back-to-back wins.

Kolisi was forced off in just the sixth minute of the United Rugby Championship clash against the Irish province which eventually ended in a 22-22 draw. It was his last action in a Sharks shirt before his move to Racing 92 ahead of next season.

Read more: Siya Kolisi to join Racing 92

Various outlets in South Africa have reported that Kolisi has sustained a partial tear to his ACL as well as damage to his meniscus. There has been no official comment from either the Sharks or South Africa.

However, any form of corrective surgery is almost certainly going to rule the country’s talismanic figure out of the tournament that kicks off in France later this year.

Even if Kolisi avoids a surgical procedure, he is undoubtedly in a race against time to prove his fitness with South Africa’s opening pool game coming on Sunday 10 September against Scotland in Marseille.

Related: Springboks head coach in shock switch to Leinster

Elsewhere, South Africa may be on the hunt for a new head coach after Jacques Nienaber’s move to Leinster was confirmed but it has been announced that director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has a contract in place until 2025.

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