Cape Town — Siya Kolisi ended a memorable year with a visit to New York where he paid homage to Vincent Mai, the man who paid the school bursary that put the South African rugby captain through the renowned Grey High in Port Elizabeth, and on a life path that led to winning the Rugby World Cup.

Kolisi wrote in a post on Instagram: "Rachel and I have spent 2 days in NYC with Vincent and his wife Annie. Vincent is a fellow Grey boy and has invested in 100's of kids in SA through bursaries, majority of the time without ever meeting them. I was 1 of those kids. Without the opportunity, there is no way I'd be where I am today. He sowed into my life without ever knowing what would come from it, and I couldnt be more grateful. I'm so honored to have spent some time with him and his family. I'm so excited for the work we're about to do in South Africa together."

Kolisi's visit with his fellow Grey High alum comes after signing a historic deal with the high-profile Roc Nation Sports management group. The brainchild of U.S. hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, the company is home to international sports stars that includes the likes of Romelu Lukaku of Inter Milan, Jerome Boateng of Bayern Munich and Eric Bailly of Manchester United.

After his signing, Kolisi said: "I'm overjoyed to be joining the Roc Nation family, and to be the first South African to do so is a special feeling. The team is very much an extension of my own family, they have been extremely welcoming and passionate about my story and my journey. It's the perfect partnership and I'm excited to get started."