South Africa captain Siya Kolisi belting out national anthem at World Cup he almost missed is a thing of beauty

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi made his mark on the Rugby World Cup before even touching a ball as he belted out the national anthem ahead of the Springboks' opening game against Scotland.

The inspirational skipper was greeted with a huge roar as he took to the field in Marseille having made a remarkable recovery from a serious knee injury suffered just five months ago to make it to the tournament.

Kolisi is a much-loved figure in South Africa and across the rugby world and he showed his passion ahead of the first game of the reigning champions' title defence with a powerful rendition of the anthem.

With his head tilted back and his eyes closed, Kolisi belted out the words with his voice clearly heard on TV above those of his teammates and the choir who were performing in the background.

The 32-year-old defied the odds to make the cut for Jacques Nienaber's squad having ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while playing for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship in April, an injury which needed surgery.

However, having targeted an ambitious pre-tournament return, Kolisi wowed his teammates, coaches and medical staff as he powered through his rehabilitation and made the most unexpected of comebacks against Wales in August, well ahead of schedule.