Who is Rachel John? The woman spotted with Springboks captain Siya Kolisi at the ATP Finals

Who is the woman next to Springboks captain Siya Kolisi? That has been the question on everyone’s lips.

A short video circulating online shows Kolisi sharing a moment with Dutch influencer Rachel John, sparking speculation about a cosy interaction.

The two were spotted courtside during a tennis match on Saturday at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, sitting together with Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman and Snyman’s wife, Saskia. 

It was not long before social media turned the brief exchange into a full conversation about the people’s favourite captain’s love life.

In the video posted by reporter Athi Mtongana on X, John leans in as she chats to the rugby star, and the two appear relaxed while the group enjoys the match. 

Another clip shows them dancing along for the camera, which only added to the speculation. For many viewers, it was enough to wonder whether this was just friendship or something more.

An X user @peachesrobyn asked: “Who is the broad sitting next to Siya? 👀” while @RayMaboya said: “Yooh... who’s that with Siya??? 🙆🏻‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️”

Ever since Kolisi’s split from his ex-wife, Rachel Kolisi, in October 2024, the interest around his personal life has been growing. So when a woman with the same name appeared beside him, the spotlight intensified, and tongues started wagging. 

Since neither Kolisi nor John has addressed the moment, fans have filled the silence with their own theories.

But who exactly is the Amsterdam-born author, the woman who suddenly has South Africans trying to connect the dots?

According to a Dutch website about her book “Gelukking Heb Ik ADHD” (Fortunately, I Have ADHD), John is a 24-year-old Dutch creator who has built a large online following through her wellness, travel and fitness content. 

She has an active lifestyle centred on kickboxing, surfing and nutrition, and she spends a lot of time between Amsterdam and South Africa. 

Her growing presence in Mzansi started in 2021 when she left her home country for South Africa for a change.

This came after she attempted to deal with her ADHD through therapy, medication and just about everything that would help her get better until she developed an eating disorder and fell into depression.

According to reports, she also shares a surprising number of connections with the Springbok circle. Several players and their partners follow her on Instagram, including Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, Marise Pollard and Domenica de Allende. 

With that being pointed out, her appearance beside Kolisi is not entirely shocking to people who keep tabs on rugby circles.

A deeper look at her background has been circulating online, much of it originally reported by “Newswerk24”. 

John grew up in Amsterdam to a Dutch mother and Nigerian father, and she has built a lifestyle centred around movement, travel and fitness, with martial arts playing a big role.

Her link to South Africa began unexpectedly after a work trip to Jeffreys Bay fell through; instead of heading home, she stayed, picked up surfing and later created her own surf camp. 

The creator now splits her time between Amsterdam and South Africa, often describing Mzansi as the place where she feels most grounded. Her content focuses on wellness and discipline, from recovery tips to surf videos, healthy meals and her training routines. 

She also already has a strong presence in the Springbok circle, with several players and their partners following her, which explains how she fits into that space.