By Rorisang Modiba
Although rugby captain Siya Kolisi and his wife, Rachel, only announced their divorce last month, old footage suggests the marriage had been in trouble for some time.
The couple announced the end of their eight-year marriage on 22 October, saying it was a decision made with “love, respect and understanding.”
In Siya’s documentary, Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story, shown on M-Net in February 2023, Rachel spoke about their struggles.
“It’s like there were two other people. It was Siya, and then there was a horrible Siya. I was fully ready for a divorce. I was done, done, done,” she said.
The documentary revealed Siya’s past problems with drinking, strip clubs and overspending.
In early 2019, before the World Cup, Rachel asked him to get help from Christian mentor Ben Schoeman.
Schoeman confronted Siya directly: “Siya, you drink a lot, you cheat on women, you go to strip clubs. You talk about your faith in Christ online, but you’re not being honest with yourself or others.”
Siya admitted in the film: “I couldn’t give everything to my wife.”
Despite their efforts to repair the marriage, the couple, who have two children, have now decided to separate.
Rachel posted on Instagram for the first time since the announcement, writing: “This is so hard. I have genuinely been overwhelmed by kindness and love, and I’m so grateful. Fully committed to my healing journey. Peace is my portion.”
Pictured above: Siya and Rachel Kolisi.
Source: Instagram
