“It went past being hungry; it was actually painful in your stomach. I could feel my intestines twisting in the middle of the night.”Contents‘I would scream with hunger’ – Kolisi on childhood‘We received a lot of hate at the start of our relationship’ – on social media abuse‘We’re not robots’ – on athletes’ mental health‘I’m a sinner’ – Kolisi on his flaws‘It’s a daily struggle’ – on unity in South AfricaSouth Africa’s Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi is one of the most recognisable athletes in the world.What might be less familiar to his millions of fans is what he went through to reach the pinnacle of his sport – and how he continues to be “fighting battles” to this day.The Springboks’ first black captain was brought up in a township in Zwide, Port Elizabeth, where he experienced hunger and violence as a child.After being given a scholarship to a white school, he developed his […]
Siya Kolisi: South Africa captain on childhood poverty, mental health, racism and his legacy
