Kolisi, who hasn't played rugby since injuring his knee against Munster in April while on duty with the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship, has shown excellent recovery signs from a knee injury that required an operation.

The 2019 World Cup winner has been open on social media about his recovery and showed the best signs of mobility when he warmed up with the team ahead of their Test against Argentina at Ellis Park on the 29th of July, when he was also a flag bearer.

"There is no pressure on us to play Siya or Ox Nche (who has also been out injured), we are trying to be fair to them and we want to give them the best chance to be in a better position when they do return, we want them to be in position to be chosen for the first World Cup game," Human said.

Without saying so in as many words, Human also intimated that the importance of Kolisi in the team might see his return delayed until the game against New Zealand, which would put him in a similar position to the one he was in going into the last World Cup in Japan, where he had just one warm-up game against the hosts after an equally long injury layoff.

The news around the Kolisi's rehabilitation have been good from day 1 of his recovery from the ligament injury sustained playing for the Sharks against Munster in their final Vodacom United Rugby Championship league game, and it continues to be so now that he is poised to return to the playing field.

In terms of my department, I am very happy with what I have seen and hopefully he will make a big contribution if it's not this week, then definitely next week," Human added.

Kick-off between Wales and South Africa in Cardiff is at 16:15 (SA time) on Saturday the 19th of August 2023.