Cape Town – Despite their financial woes of the last couple of seasons, the Stormers have not failed once in securing their top talent to keep the team at its strongest for the various international rugby competitions.
And although they are losing one of their biggest stars to the overseas market, Stormers coach John Dobson has not let the grass grow under his feet in retaining a core squad for the foreseeable future.
Springbok loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff heads to Ulster after the United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign and Rugby World Cup. But the signing of two of the best tightheads in South Africa, Frans Malherbe and Neethling Fouche, along with the eighth man Hacjivah Dayimani will help keep the spine of the Stormers scrum intact.
With Springbok Malherbe and fellow scrummager Fouche deciding to stay and making up the Stormers front row alongside Springbok hooker Joseph Dweba, it also won’t be difficult for Dobson then to replace Kitshoff.
And it’s that combination of Malherbe or Fouche next to Dweba that Dobson will bank on to attract his next big loosehead signing.
This is exactly how Dobson built his title-winning URC team in 2021 when all seemed so uncertain in Cape Town and after so many senior players left the Stormers for greener pastures due to the boardroom troubles at Newlands.
Think of Siya Kolisi and Bongi Mbonambi who joined the Sharks, Pieter-Steph du Toit and JD Schickerling who left for Japan.
But thanks to Kitshoff and Malherbe staying back then although they had offers to go overseas, Dobson was able to attract Dweba because in the coach’s words “who wouldn’t want to play next to Kitsie and Frans?”.
Attracting Bok lock Marvin Orie from the Lions was also a coup.
And it’s thanks to this philosophy of making sure his team’s “spine is fine” that Dobson has been able to keep his big guns and have them firing when needed.
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Apart from Malherbe, Dayimani and Fouche, winger Leolin Zas also recently committed his future to Dobson and the team. Versatile Bok Damian Willemse last year signed a contract extension of five years.
This doesn’t only show the hard work being done by Dobson and his management team to keep their players but also the commitment the players have to what Dobson wants to achieve in Cape Town.
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The only outstanding part of Dobson’s current signing puzzle is his flyhalf Manie Libbok.
The Stormers are keen on extending their general’s contract but he is a sought after player, especially in France. Racing92 are in the hunt for his signature while the Cape side wants to retain him by all means possible. Libbok is also keen to stay but the lure of a new challenge in Europe and the pulling power of the Euro could have the final say.
IOL Sport
