Cape Town - South Africa captain Siya Kolisi played Friday for the first time since May as he seeks full fitness after a knee injury, and a place in the Rugby World Cup squad.

The 28-year-old loose forward set up the fourth Western Province try in a 45-14 Currie Cup rout of the Pumas in Cape Town before being substituted after 48 minutes. 

He came through unscathed and his early exit was planned with coach John Dobson saying before the match that "Siya is good for 40 minutes, perhaps a few more".

Kolisi last season became the first black Test captain of the Springboks, a national team that had been reserved for whites during most of the apartheid era.

He could return to the South Africa squad for a one-off Test against Argentina on August 17 in Pretoria, which will serve as a warm-up match ahead of the World Cup in Japan.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus may prefer Kolisi to continue on a slightly gentler comeback trail and play in the Currie Cup again next weekend.

Assuming he becomes fully fit, Kolisi will lead South Africa at the World Cup with Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen, who has been acting as skipper, probably completing the back row.

South Africa are in Pool B at the World Cup and seem certain to qualify for the quarter-finals with trophy-holders New Zealand at the expense of Canada, Italy and Namibia.

The 31-man Springboks World Cup squad is scheduled to be announced on Monday August 26.