DHL Stormers savour happy homecoming for Springbok superstars as they target title triumph
The DHL Stormers are celebrating the homecoming of a trio of Springboks superstars as they put the pressure on themselves to win the URC title for a second time.
They have welcomed back flanker Siya Kolisi, winger Cheslin Kolbe and tighthead prop Wilco Louw following spells with the Hollywoodbets Sharks, Tokyo Sungoliath and the Vodacom Bulls respectively.
As captain Ruhan Nel confirms, it’s a real triple boost for the ambitious Cape Town-based outfit.
“It’s pretty well documented about their abilities as rugby players but I think if you look at the humans we are getting back into our system, that’s actually the thing that stands out the most for me,” said the veteran centre.
“I had the pleasure of playing Sevens with Cheslin in a couple of tournaments and he is exactly the same guy now as what he was back then and I think that speaks volumes of his character.
“We know Siya for the character he is and the impact he has on the people of South Africa and I know Wilco as well.
“For me, the more better people you can get in the environment, I just believe you will have better rugby players as well.
“We have got three very big guys coming back, also three Stormers men. It’s very exciting.
“Apart from what they are bringing on the field physically, just the type of humans we are going to have in the environment is also a massive contribution to us.”
Adding his thoughts, Director of Rugby John Dobson said: “They are all multiple season Stormers. So there’s a sense of a homecoming.
“We offered all our Springboks a week off next month and not one of those three guys took up that right which is fantastic.
“It shows their commitment to the Stormers that they wanted to play every game.”
Dobson went on to speak about all three players individually.
On double World Cup-winning Springboks skipper Kolisi, he said: “He’s already thoroughly invested.
“He’s a guy we’d look at in all positions in the back row.
“We’ve got three guys that have played six for South Africa this year in Siya, Deon Fourie and Paul de Villiers.
“With the way Siya has grown physically, he could play seven and eight for us as well.”
As for Louw, who started all four Tests in the recent Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand, he said: “Just seeing the damage he is doing on the world stage now, he’s a massive acquisition for us.”
Kolbe, who passed 50 caps this summer, will have a delayed start to the campaign after suffering a broken jaw against the All Blacks in Johannesburg three weeks ago.
Dobson said: “It’s a bit of a blow that Cheslin won’t play the October matches because we have been a bit light on the wings over the last season or two.
“It’s a blow he’s out for four weeks but he’s got a long season after that.
“He’s massive for us in terms of what he brings as a player and to the community.”
The Stormers have also signed highly rated young scrumhalf Haashim Pead from the 10Bet Lions as they prepare for their opening URC fixture against Connacht Rugby in Galway this Friday.
Pead grew up just a stone’s throw from DHL Stadium in Bo-Kaap, built his name at Bishops and capped a breakout year by starring for the Junior Springbok team – led by his new club teammate Riley Norton – as they beat New Zealand in the 2025 final to win the global showpiece for international U20 teams in Italy for the first time since 2012.
The electric scrumhalf now returns to where it all started to form part of the long-term vision of Project 2029. He will be available to make his Stormers debut once the team is back from its two-match tour to Ireland and Scotland, with four consecutive home games at Stadium in October giving fans their first chance to see him in DHL Stormers colours.
The 21-year-old was called up to a Springbok senior alignment camp and featured for South Africa A against Zimbabwe earlier this season. His crisp service, instinctive eye for a gap, searing pace and strength make him one of the most exciting young prospects in South African rugby.
Dobson said Pead’s profile was the perfect fit for the squad as part of Project 2029, which seeks to position Stormers Rugby as one of the top global rugby clubs on and off the field.
“Haashim is a rising star and as a local lad who fits our game model perfectly, it made sense on every level for us to bring him back to Cape Town.
“He is a gifted athlete who has an incredibly high ceiling, and we look forward to seeing how he develops here with us.
“This is a four-year deal, so there is a big commitment from both ourselves and Haashim to Project 2029 and our goals as a club,” he added.
Pead said he was determined to make the most of playing for his boyhood team.
“Cape Town is my home and I could not be more excited to join the DHL Stormers. I can’t wait to get stuck in.
“I have joined a very strong squad at a club with big ambitions, so there is a lot of hard work ahead of me, and I just want to take every opportunity that comes my way here,” he said.
“I am very happy with the balance of the squad,” said Dobson.
“We have been working quite hard on our age distribution over the last couple of years.
“Our depth is definitely better than it was.
“If you look at the experience we have and the youngsters coming through, I think this is the best quality squad we have put out in the history of the BKT URC.”
With this in mind, Dobson says the Stormers are embarking on the league season with high hopes of repeating their 2022 title triumph.
“It’s the most pressure we have been under in terms of what our own expectations are, not from external pressure,” he said.
“I honestly feel it’s the strongest squad we have put out, the most cohesion, the most caps, so we must put ourselves under pressure to try and win the BKT URC.
“The semi-final against Leinster in Dublin last season gave us a lot of hope. We came a hell of a bit close but just came up short.
“We shouldn’t have been playing away. That’s because Cardiff, credit to them, beat us.
“We are going to put ourselves under pressure to try and lift that trophy again. We are not here just to take part. We really think we have got an opportunity in this one.”
He continued: “In terms of winning the tournament, the reality is there are some guys that are perennially there.
“You have to beat Leinster. They are always going to be the team that people wonder where they are at the end of the season.
“Somebody has to beat them to win the BKT URC. That’s the challenge for the competition. I am sure if you log on to a sporting bet website now they would be the favourites by some distance.
“So they are a massive factor. It’s that game that determines where the trophy is going.
“But there are teams that can do it whereas before BKT URC days it was maybe an absolute shoe-in. So that’s how I see it.”
Looking back on June’s 20-11 defeat to Leinster Rugby in the play-off semi-finals at the Aviva Stadium, skipper Nel said: “That loss is still fresh in our minds.
“I think there were lessons learned in that game, just seeing how we could operate in that hostile environment going against the full Irish team.
“Although we lost, there was some real confidence that came out of the game in that we were actually right there.”
Looking ahead to the new campaign, Nel added: “It’s a massive opportunity for us.
“Hopefully we can get the start again like we had last season. It lays a pretty nice foundation.”
FRIDAY
Connacht Rugby v DHL Stormers @ Dexcom Stadium, Galway – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA & SA
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 63rd league game)
AR 1: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) AR 2: Tomas O’Sullivan (IRFU)
TMO: David Sutherland (SRU)
Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
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