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‘The Chef’ to steer Junior Boks in Georgia as Foote names balanced U20 squad

Adnaan MohamedNews, Rugby, SpringboksLeave a Comment on ‘The Chef’ to steer Junior Boks in Georgia as Foote names balanced U20 squad
By Adnaan Mohamed

Talented 19-year-old flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed will headline an exciting 31-man Junior Springbok squad for a three-match tour of Georgia later this month, as coach Kevin Foote begins laying the foundation for South Africa’s 2026 U20 campaign.

Ahmed, a former Wynberg Boys’ High standout known as “The Chef”, has already been contracted by the Stormers after catching the eye while still at school. Now he is set to cook up a storm for the Junior Boks in Tbilisi, where two of the three fixtures will be internationals against Georgia U20.

The squad departs on Sunday, 15 February, and returns on 28 February.

Foote’s selection blends continuity with fresh talent. Four members of last year’s World Rugby U20 Championship-winning side return: loosehead props Ollie Reid and Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka, hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele, and lock Riley Norton, who captained the Junior Boks to the title in Italy.

The touring group was finalised after a three-week training camp in Stellenbosch, which included high-tempo matches against FNB Varsity Cup sides Maties and UCT.

“We have had a very productive period in Stellenbosch, and I believe the matches against UCT and Maties gave us a clear indication of where we are in terms of technical and tactical preparation,” said Foote.

The tour also forms part of South Africa’s build-up to defending their world crown in June and July, also in Georgia.

“Georgia is a challenging place to play, especially with the sub-zero temperatures expected, but this is exactly the kind of test we need to build resilience,” Foote said.

“We are looking for growth in our set-piece dominance and cohesion as we begin our 2026 campaign.

“They are a well-coached team with a lot of experience returning from last year’s international season. We expect very physical encounters, which is exactly what we need for our preparations.”

Foote added that the broader vision includes building depth for future campaigns.

“We are also building for 2027 by giving new players the opportunity to experience international rugby. This tour is a vital step in that regard.”

Several players eligible for the 2027 cycle have been included, among them Gert Kemp, Ethan Adams, Markus Muller, Zekhethelo Siyaya and Luan Giliomee, who recently represented the Blitzboks and helped the Springbok Sevens win the HSBC SVNS Perth title.

Injury concerns ruled out Vuyo Gwiji (loose forward), Pieter van der Merwe (centre) and Alzeadon Felix (fullback), while flyhalf Vusi Moyo continues his rehabilitation. All are targeting a return for the U20 Rugby Championship in April and May.

Speedy wing Cheswill Jooste is currently on Vodacom United Rugby Championship duty with the Bulls and is expected to link up with the squad later in the season.

Foote admitted that narrowing down the group was not easy.

“The full training group made it very hard to decide on a 31-man travelling party. Players such as AJ Meyer (lock) and Reinhardt Viljoen (fullback) put their hands up for consideration and remain firmly in the mix for future camps leading into the Rugby Championship,” he said.

With Norton providing leadership up front and Ahmed poised to guide proceedings at flyhalf, the Junior Boks will look to use the Georgian tour as a critical stepping stone towards another shot at global success.

Junior Springbok squad for Georgia tour:

Props: Oliver Reid (DHL Western Province), Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kai Pratt (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sibabalwe Booi (Toyota Cheetahs), Danie Kruger (DHL Western Province).

Hookers: Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls), Liam van Wyk (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Mahle Sithole (Fidelity ADT Lions).

Locks: Heinrich Theron (Vodacom Bulls), James Schnetler (Fidelity ADT Lions), Riley Norton (captain, DHL Western Province), JD Hattingh (Fidelity ADT Lions).

Loose forwards: Kebotile Maake (Vodacom Bulls), Risima Khosa (Fidelity ADT Lions), Mumbere “Wasi” Vyambwera (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Luke Canon (Fidelity ADT Lions), Gert Kemp (DHL WP), Reuben Kruger (DHL Western Province).

Scrumhalves: Matthew Fick (Vodacom Bulls), Hendré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls).

Flyhalves: Yaqeen Ahmed (DHL Western Province), Luan Giliomee (Hollywoodbets Sharks).

Centres: Markus Muller (DHL Western Province), Ethan Adams (Fidelity ADT Lions), Christian Vorster (Vodacom Bulls), Samuel Badenhorst (DHL Western Province).

Outside backs: Dylan Miller (DHL Western Province), Zekhethelo Siyaya (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jordan Steenkamp (DHL Western Province), Lindsey Jansen (Vodacom Bulls).

Fixtures (Tbilisi):
18 February – SA U20 vs Lelo Saracens
22 February – SA U20 vs Georgia U20
27 February – SA U20 vs Georgia U20

Stormers stuck in reverse as discipline hands Sharks another derby scalp

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John Dobson didn’t duck the tackle or hide behind the referee’s whistle after the Stormers’ second straight derby defeat to the Sharks. Instead, the Stormers coach fronted up and admitted that while the game plan was drawn up neatly, the behaviours at the collision points never shifted.

The Stormers were whistled for 16 penalties and shown two yellow cards in their 38–24 United Rugby Championship (URC) loss in Durban on Saturday, and for Dobson, the most worrying part wasn’t the scoreboard, it was the lack of growth between the two derby encounters.

“We talked about it this week to start the halves well. We probably got both right, but the rest wasn’t a behaviour change from last week. I think the two games were very similar,” said Dobson.

While the Stormers repeatedly knocked on at key moments, the Sharks played with the composure of a side winning the arm-wrestle inch by inch, completing a rare back-to-back Cape Town double.

“Credit to the Sharks, they beat us properly over the past two weeks. Our discipline was poor and our set-piece definitely let us down. I thought their aerial game was really good and they played with a really clear plan that worked for them.”

Instead of tightening their grip at the breakdown, the Stormers loosened it. Seventeen penalties conceded, two more than the previous week, told the story of a side stuck in the same defensive patterns, conceding ground without resistance.

“The most destroying part of last week is that the same things that went wrong last week, went wrong this week. Five-metre lineouts not converted, giving penalties away at mauls which led to some of the discipline stuff. So for the stuff to fix, there needs to be a change in behaviour. It was really poor from us and I feel bad for our supporters.”

What gnawed at Dobson was the sense of déjà vu, the same soft underbelly exposed, the same pressure points targeted.

“The most frustrating thing about tonight [Saturday] is that everything that went wrong last week went wrong this week. There has to be a behaviour change; it is really poor from us and bad for our supporters.”

Once again, the Stormers’ defensive work inside their own five-metre zone cracked under pressure, turning promising stands into penalty concessions and scoreboard damage.

“Five-metre lineouts not converted, giving penalties away at mauls, which led to some of the discipline stuff. So, to fix the stuff, there needs to be a change in behaviour. It was really poor from us, and I feel bad for our supporters.”

Dobson was quick to salute Sharks coach JP Pietersen, whose side dominated the key exchanges and imposed themselves when it mattered most.

“I give them enormous credit. They’ve come, and they beat us twice. He is obviously doing something right within the organisation. They played with real purpose, a clear plan, so yes, he has done well.”

The aerial contest and the penalty count proved decisive battlegrounds. While the Sharks ruled the skies, the Stormers spent long stretches retreating under pressure and playing a man short.

“We didn’t win the contestable game as much as we would have liked to. They were really good in the air. If you are going to be on 11 penalties in 20 minutes, that’s going to include a card.

“If you are going to play 40 minutes in a South African derby with seven forwards, with Damian Willemse scrumming on the flank a lot of the time, it’s not good enough.”

Stormers captain Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu echoed his coach’s assessment, admitting discipline knocked the stuffing out of a side that briefly had the upper hand.

“The lack of discipline cost us. When we played our game, we were on top of them. Going into halftime, we were up 24-14, and we just let it slip.

“Within ten minutes, we went from an upbeat team scoring tries. That’s just the reality. We were being reckless, careless and irresponsible. Our discipline is costing us.”

For the Stormers, the message is blunt: unless the habits at the breakdown, maul and aerial contest change, they’ll keep losing the same battles, and bleeding the same points.

Highveld pride, coastal fire: Bulls-Lions derby looms as Stormers face Shark Tank test

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By Adnaan Mohamed

For Bulls and Lions supporters, this is not just another round of the Vodacom URC , it’s a weekend that could shape seasons, shift momentum and settle old scores. And hovering over it all is the coastal showdown in Durban, where the Stormers walk into the Shark Tank knowing that what happens there will ripple all the way up to the Highveld.

This is the URC at its sharpest: derbies that feel like knockout blows, log positions tightening like a defensive line, and belief becoming just as valuable as points.

Bulls vs Lions: Highveld pride at stake

Ellis Park will crackle long before kick-off. When Bulls and Lions meet, form becomes fragile and history heavy. The Lions still carry the memory of their 43-33 ambush at Loftus in November – a result that silenced Pretoria and reminded everyone that derby days obey no log table.

For the Lions, this match is about turning admiration into advancement. Back-to-back draws away to Perpignan (20-20) and the Ospreys (24-24) showed resilience and character, but also left a familiar ache: close, but not enough. Sitting seventh on the URC log with 24 points, they are still in the playoff conversation – but the gap to the leaders is starting to stretch like a missed tackle.

A home derby is the perfect place to change that narrative.

The Bulls, meanwhile, arrive with something they have not had for weeks: momentum. After seven straight losses across competitions, Johan Ackermann’s men have rediscovered belief with successive wins over Pau and Edinburgh. Like a pack that has finally found cohesion at scrum time, the Bulls are standing taller, tackling harder and trusting their systems again.

They have climbed to ninth on the log and are now within striking distance of their Gauteng rivals. Their Springboks are once again playing like world champions, and with Neil de Bruin added to the coaching mix, structure and clarity are beginning to show.

For Bulls supporters, Ellis Park is a chance to prove that this revival is real – not just a flicker, but a flame.

Stormers vs Sharks: a derby that matters to everyone

While Highveld eyes are fixed on Johannesburg, the Stormers’ trip to Durban matters deeply to Bulls and Lions supporters alike. The Sharks’ emphatic 30-19 win in Cape Town did more than end an unbeaten run – it reshaped the South African Shield picture and tightened the race for playoff places.

John Dobson did not sugar-coat the defeat, calling it “our worst performance of the season”. And he was right. The Stormers, previously No 1 in the URC for lineouts, mauls and scrums, were dismantled at the set-piece. Their usually fluent game dissolved into a fog of misfires and penalties as the Sharks imposed themselves with authority.

Now comes the harder test: responding in the Shark Tank, where confidence grows teeth and momentum feeds on noise.

For the Sharks, JP Pietersen’s impact has been immediate and tangible. Four wins from six since taking interim charge, and that Cape Town performance was the clearest sign yet of a team rediscovering its bite. From 14th to 11th on the log, they now sit just two points outside the top eight – very much alive.

It was not a lucky win either. It was comprehensive, controlled and settled long before the final whistle. The Stormers did not simply play badly; they were never allowed to breathe.

For Bulls and Lions fans, the Durban result could be pivotal. A Sharks surge complicates the playoff race. A Stormers response could reassert Cape Town dominance. Either way, the ripple effect will be felt far beyond the coast.

The log tells the story

The Stormers have slipped to second, three points behind Glasgow Warriors, though with a game in hand on the Scots and other overseas sides. They remain contenders – but now under pressure.

The Lions hold seventh, competitive but restless. The Bulls are climbing, confidence swelling. The Sharks are charging from behind.

This is the stage of the URC where seasons tilt.

Why this weekend matters

For Lions supporters, this is about finally landing a knockout blow in a tight fight.
For Bulls supporters, it is about proving the revival has substance.
For everyone, the Stormers vs Sharks derby is a measuring stick – of resilience, belief and championship credentials.

The URC is no longer a marathon. It is a series of collisions. And this weekend, every one of them counts.

URC Round 11 fixtures (SA times)

Saturday, 31 January

  • Lions vs Vodacom Bulls – 2:30pm
  • Sharks vs Stormers – 5pm

Photo Credit: Rashied Isaacs

Stormers survive Leicester storm to stutter into Last 16

Adnaan MohamedNews, RugbyLeave a Comment on Stormers survive Leicester storm to stutter into Last 16
By Adnaan Mohamed

The DHL Stormers may have booked their place in the Investec Champions Cup play-offs with a 39–26 win overLeicester Tigers at DHL Stadium on Saturday, but this was less a polished symphony and more a garage band that occasionally forgot the chords.

Yes, the scoreboard says five tries to four. Yes, the Stormers marched into the last-16 in front of an enthusiastic Cape Town crowd of 25 000.

But context matters, and this particular Tiger arrived with more stripes missing than a clearance-sale jersey. A significantly weakened Leicester side, shorn of several frontline names, still managed to bare its teeth often enough to expose some worrying cracks in the Stormers’ armour.

The home side started like a team keen to make an early statement. Evan Roos thundered over for the opener after Jonny Roche’s midfield burst split the defence, before André-Hugo Venter peeled off a maul to make it 12–0. At that point, it looked like traffic control rather than a contest.

Then the Stormers remembered their habit of inviting chaos. Two quick Leicester tries, through George Pearson and Will Wand, flipped the scoreboard to 14–12 and highlighted how quickly defensive alignment can evaporate when concentration wobbles.

For long spells, the Stormers looked like a side playing fast-forward without checking the mirrors. Passes went to ground, exits were optional, and defensive spacing sometimes resembled a group photo taken mid-blink. Leicester didn’t need their full complement to punch holes; the Stormers generously supplied the gaps themselves.

The hosts regained the lead at the break thanks only to Leicester’s kindness and new skipper Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s boot, after Dylan Maart fumbled what should have been a walk-in try. It was 15–14 at halftime, advantage Stormers, but with the handbrake still half on.

Leicester struck first again after the restart with a maul try to reclaim the lead, underlining just how vulnerable the Stormers were when the basics slipped. The response, though, captured the essence of this side: chaotic, brilliant, risky and entertaining in equal measure. Leolin Zas finished off a slick passage of offloads for the Stormers’ third, dragging momentum back their way.

The game teetered again when Feinberg-Mngomezulu saw yellow, reducing the Stormers to 14 men, usually the cue for consolidation. Instead, JD Schickerling produced an outrageous dummy more suited to a centre than a lock, carving open the defence to score the bonus-point try and turn disbelief into delight.

Replacement scrumhalf Imad Khan added the final flourish at the death, his try stretching the scoreline into something that suggested control rather than the rollercoaster reality.

Replacement scrumhalf Imad Khan provided a spark. Photo: Rashied Isaacs

The Stormers’ attack still flickered with moments of brilliance, because that’s their DNA, but too often it came wrapped in loose decision-making. It’s champagne rugby, once more, served in a paper cup. When it worked, it sparkled. When it didn’t, it fizzed out spectacularly.

Defensively, the warning lights flashed brightest. For a side with ambitions of lifting Europe’s biggest prize, conceding soft metres and broken-field opportunities against a patched-up opponent is the rugby equivalent of leaving your front door open and hoping no one notices.

This was a match the Stormers should have controlled with one hand on the wheel and the other on the gearstick. Instead, they veered between dominance and disorder, brilliance and brain fade, sometimes within the same phase.

The truth is simple: knockout rugby does not grade on flair alone. The further you go, the less forgiving the margins become. European heavyweights won’t offer second chances, and they certainly won’t arrive missing half their starters.

If the Stormers genuinely want to go all the way in this competition, the basics must stop being optional extras. Tackle completion, exit accuracy, set-piece pressure and defensive spacing are not glamorous, but they are non-negotiable.

Winning ugly still counts. Winning sloppy comes with a warning label. The Stormers advanced to the last 16 of the Champions Cup and will now tackle French Giants Toulon at the Stade Mayol in the South of France in April.

Unless John Dobson’s charges tighten the bolts, sharpen the fundamentals and start respecting the small moments, Europe’s elite will make them pay with interest.

For the Stormers switch their attention to the Vodacom URC where they host the Sharks in Cape Town on Saturday.

STORMERS – Tries: Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter, Leolin Zas, JD Schickerling, Imad Khan. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3), Khan (1). Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Khan.
LEICESTER TIGERS – Tries: George Pearson, Will Wand, Jamie Blamire, Tom Manz. Conversions: Billy Searle (3).

Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 fixtures in full

Union Bordeaux Bègles vs Leicester Tigers

Glasgow Warriors vs Vodacom Bulls

RC Toulon vs DHL Stormers

Stade Toulousain vs Bristol Bears

Bath Rugby vs Saracens

Leinster Rugby vs Edinburgh Rugby

Northampton Saints vs Castres Olympique

Harlequins vs Sale Sharks

When Matric Meets the Stormers: Markus Muller’s Results Day Scrum

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By Adnaan Mohamed

Most matriculants spent results day pacing the house, refreshing WhatsApp and bargaining with the rugby gods. Markus Muller? He was at Stormers training.

Yes, while his classmates waited nervously for envelopes and emojis, the Paarl Gymnasium captain and South Africa Under-18 centre had his boots on and his head down at his first Stormers session, leaving his mom to do the official results run.

“I asked my mom to collect my results,” Muller laughed in an entertaining interview conducted by veteran prop Neethling Fouche using a Red Bull energy drink can as a microphone.

“During training, when I had time off, I looked at my phone, and my mom sent me a picture.”

Welcome to modern rugby: professional contracts, professional gyms and matric results via WhatsApp.

Muller passed, and passed the vibe check too.

“I was ‘quite’ happy with having passed his matric exam,” he said.
“I was a bit nervous, but it was fun.”

The timing could not have been more poetic. On the same day his school chapter closed, a professional one cracked open. Like a winger ditching the safe kick for touch and backing himself, Muller chose the Stormers call over the school hall queue.

Markus Muller at the Stormers High Performance Centre in Bellville on Tuesday Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

He is one of a bumper crop of schoolboy stars already snapped up by the Cape franchise for 2026 and beyond. Joining Muller from Paarl Gym is loose forward Quintin Potgieter, while the wider class includes Alutha Wesi (Rondebosch Boys), centres Randall-John Davids, prop Matt van der Merwe and wing Jordan Steenkamp, hooker Altus Rabe and loose forward Gert Kemp (Paul Roos).

Wynberg Boys flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, Boland Landbou scrumhalf Jayden Brits and Grey College lock AJ Meyer are the other prodigies on the Stormers books.

These names might sound that is comes from a matric class list. However, it’s more like a Craven Week highlight reel.

Stormers wing Leolin Zas has already had his first look at the teenage midfield star, having watched him shine at Craven Week. His first impression? Talent, nerves and plenty of upside.

“His first day was yesterday [Tuesday], and he looked a bit nervous,” said the 30-year-old back of the 18-year-old.
“I can’t wait to share some things with him.”

Muller, described as the best schoolboy centre in the country last year, is already talking like a team man rather than a headline hunter. If the Stormers need him to do the dirty work, he’s keen.

The young midfielder said he would happily answer the Stormers’ call to pack down in a scrum if the need arises, but he would like to be part of a maul as well.

In other words: give him a jersey and tell him where to push.

Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson says the flood of local talent is no accident, but a carefully built pathway that keeps Western Cape rugby feeding itself.

“Our contracting model is to look at local talent from the region first as a way to keep strengthening the pathway system,” Dobson said.

He believes the current intake shows the production line is alive, well and hitting peak form.

“The strong intake of local talent is extremely encouraging as the Stormers look to build significant depth by drawing on the best that the schools in the Western Cape have to offer,” he said.

“We have seen a few big success stories in recent years, with the likes of Damian Willemse, Salmaan Moerat, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, JD Schickerling and Suleiman Hartzenberg all coming through our system to become household names.

“We expect the same to happen with many of these players who will join our environment next year and we are not done here, with a few more significant names set to be added to this list in the near future.”

As for Muller, his matric certificate may still be at home, but his boots are already in the Stormers locker room. One chapter closed, another opened. No study leave required.

Stormers Furious Over Pitch After Smith’s Hospitalisation

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By Adnaan Mohamed

What should be a fortress has become a minefield.

Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson has launched a blistering broadside at the Cape Town Stadium pitch, blaming its deteriorating condition for an alarming injury toll that has now left lock Adré Smith hospitalised with a serious knee infection.

“We were promised a world-class pitch, and we certainly don’t have one,” Dobson said, his words cutting sharper than a loose stud.

Speaking from London, where the Stormers are preparing for a pivotal Champions Cup clash against Harlequins on Sunday, a visibly agitated Dobson revealed that Smith is undergoing intensive medical treatment after suffering a deep knee wound during last weekend’s gritty 13–8 win over the Bulls.

Smith, who came off the bench in the bruising North–South derby, split his knee open on what Dobson described as a surface more suited to a ploughed field than elite rugby.

“There is no way to beat around the bush, or be polite about it,” Dobson said. “He split his knee and got an infection, where the field wasn’t adequately covered with grass. The doctors put it directly down to the condition of the field.”

Smith has already spent two days in hospital and is expected to remain under close medical supervision for at least another two, as the Stormers count the cost of what Dobson labelled an “enormous frustration” for management.

The lock is not alone. Dobson confirmed multiple players have emerged bloodied and burned by the abrasive surface, with turf toe, severe abrasions and infections becoming increasingly common.

“We’ve seen turf toe injuries, abrasions, infections and even an increased risk of concussion on an unpadded surface,” Dobson said. “Player safety is the biggest concern.”

The pitch woes trace back to the World Supercross Championship staged at the stadium on December 13, an event that ripped up the surface and left it struggling to recover. Despite that, 53,000 supporters packed the stands just three weeks later to witness the Stormers edge the Bulls, even as the grass remained thin, brown and bare.

World Supercross Championships

Stormers Rugby CEO Johan le Roux previously described the surface as “absolutely sad”, while Cape Town Stadium Chief Operating Officer Louw Visagie has insisted the pitch is fit for purpose and meets World Rugby standards. It’s a view Dobson clearly does not share.

As if the surface scars were not enough, the Stormers’ casualty ward continues to swell. Veteran prop Ali Vermaak has ruptured his Achilles, while combative loose forward Ruan Ackermann faces months on the sidelines with a serious neck injury.

“Ali has ruptured his Achilles, which is a serious injury for any rugby player,” Dobson said. “It’s incredibly disappointing because of how popular and effective he’s been for us.

“Ruan has a bulging disc in his neck. Those injuries can be three months if you’re very lucky, but they can also be longer. I’d say it’s a good few months, which is a massive blow because he was exceptional, especially on defence.”

For a team built on physical dominance and relentless pressure, the Stormers now face a battle on two fronts, one against elite European opposition, and another against a home surface Dobson believes is breaking his players faster than any opponent ever could.

Mauls, Minutes and Mindset: The Formula Driving the Stormers’ Relentless Winning Run

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By Adnaan Mohamed

The DHL Stormers’ march to 10 consecutive victories has followed a familiar pattern for elite teams operating at the sharp end of European competition. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is improvised. Everything is rehearsed.

As they prepare for their next Investec Champions Cup assignment against Harlequins, the Stormers arrive with a growing reputation as one of the competition’s most physically cohesive sides. It’s a team that wins collisions and squeezes opponents through precision rather than volume.

For forwards coach Rito Hlungwani, the explanation is disarmingly simple.

“It was a very tough game, lots of sore bodies,” Hlungwani said earlier this week. “But business carries on as usual. We’ve got a massive game waiting for us in London and we want to make sure we’re ready – and we will be ready.”

Winning the Week Before Winning the Weekend

Across both domestic and European competition, the Stormers remain unbeaten this season, combining a perfect league record with two Champions Cup victories that announced their credentials beyond their own borders.

But Hlungwani is clear that the difference is created midweek, not under stadium lights.

“We spend Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays training against each other, and that’s actually more time than an 80-minute game,” he said.

That framing matters. In modern rugby, ball-in-play time is limited and moments are decisive.

“[A game] is usually like 36 minutes ball in play.”

The Stormers have leaned into that reality by ensuring their training environment mirrors and exceeds match intensity, particularly in the set-piece exchanges that shape European knockout rugby.

Maul Volume, Not Maul Mystique

Few sides in this season’s Champions Cup have leaned as heavily on controlled maul pressure, and fewer still have executed it with the same consistency. But the Stormers’ maul is not a surprise weapon, it is a rehearsed sequence built on repetition.

“This weekend we had 18 lineouts, and 12 of those were mauls,” Hlungwani explained. “At training we’ll do 40 or 50 lineouts and more than 20 mauls. The cohesion is built there.
“What people see on a Saturday is just the result.”

For European opponents, the warning is clear. The Stormers do not need chaos to score. They are content to grind, squeeze and recycle pressure until the resistance buckles. It profile that travels well in Champions Cup rugby.

Selection Is Irrelevant, Engagement Is Not

Another hallmark of the Stormers’ rise has been squad-wide ownership, a trait often visible in teams that sustain winning runs rather than peak briefly.

“Whether you played or not, everyone watches the game, everyone reviews it,” Hlungwani said. “In meetings, anyone can be asked a question. Everyone is engaged in the process. The guys who didn’t play are often the first to speak about what we need to fix. It’s a collective mindset.”

That collective sharpness has fostered internal competition, particularly among the forwards, where depth is increasingly non-negotiable in a tournament that demands rotation without dilution.

A Champions Cup Test Built for the Front Rows

Prop Oli Kebble, who is closing in on a personal milestone, believes the Stormers’ physical authority is forged through internal challenge rather than opposition fear.

“Training sessions are sometimes harder than games,” Kebble said. “We challenge each other all week, whoever’s playing and whoever’s not. That’s bred the scrum culture we take into matches.”

Against a Harlequins side known for mobility and depth, Kebble expects the contest to hinge on whether physical parity can be maintained across 80 minutes.

“They’ve got good front-row depth, but so do we,” he said. “To compete in the URC and Champions Cup, you need two frontline packs. It doesn’t matter who wears the jersey, we’re going there to take them on.”

Why This Stormers Model Travels in Europe

For international observers, the Stormers’ profile now feels familiar. The Cape side is built around set-piece accuracy, collective clarity and repeatable pressure. In Champions Cup rugby, where margins shrink and emotion spikes, those traits often matter more than flair.

The Stormers are manufacturing inevitability. And as Hlungwani suggests, by the time the weekend arrives, most of the work is already done.

Stormers shift focus to European Champions Cup after edging Bulls in derby

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By Adnaan Mohamed

The bruises from the north–south derby are still tender, but the Stormers have little time to admire their handiwork. The Vodacom Bulls were a familiar foe, a known storm navigated through discipline and resolve. Europe, however, offers a different climate altogether, and Champions Cup week arrives with no mercy for hesitation.

The Stormers’ 13–8 URC win over the Bulls was a contest decided by defensive steel and belief rather than fluency. Yet it was precisely that type of victory which sharpened the focus of head coach John Dobson as the conversation turned north, toward London and a showdown with Harlequins.

Dobson revealed that even as the derby teetered on a knife-edge at 8–8, his faith in the Stormers’ defensive structure never wavered.

“It’s going to sound a bit full of hubris, but I never was worried in that game,” Dobson said.

“It sounds curious and I really don’t mean that with any kind of arrogance, but the way we defended even in the first half, it just didn’t feel like we were under any sort of defensive pressure.

“Our defence was really, really good and I didn’t feel like they were going to open us up.”

That confidence was rewarded when Ntuthuko Mchunu powered over in the 79th minute, extending the Stormers’ unbeaten run across the URC and Investec Champions Cup to 10 matches. More importantly, it reinforced a mindset which captain Salmaan Moerat believes has become second nature within the squad.

“I do think it becomes a habit. We don’t want to sound arrogant at all, but we’ve been in deeper holes before,” Moerat said.
“If you look back at that Munster game in Limerick, I don’t think many people gave us a chance. In that first half we were down to 13 men for 20 minutes away from home, and we managed to win that game.
“That does give you belief that there’s something in the tank and that the boys will pull it through.”

That belief now travels with the Stormers into Europe, where the broader stakes extend beyond a single fixture. Dobson has been clear that South African teams must shift from participants to contenders if they are to reshape the Champions Cup landscape.

“I think South African teams need to try and make a statement to host playoffs in Europe, and we’re in a position after that Bayonne win where we can have a go at it,” he said.
“But to win in London will be really tough.”

Harlequins pose a very different puzzle to the Bulls’ direct approach. Their game thrives on tempo, width and broken-field chaos. It’s he rugby equivalent of moving from trench warfare to aerial combat. For the Stormers, the challenge will be maintaining defensive cohesion without blunting their own ambition.

Yet if the derby victory offered a glimpse of anything, it is that this Stormers side is increasingly comfortable living in the tension. They may not dominate territory or possession, but they dominate moments. And in Europe, moments decide seasons.

Champions Cup week will test their depth, discipline and nerve, but the Stormers arrive not as tourists, but as a team convinced it belongs on this stage.

Stormers v Bulls: When Bok Futures and Proven Steel Collide

Adnaan MohamedNews, Rugby, SpringboksLeave a Comment on Stormers v Bulls: When Bok Futures and Proven Steel Collide
By Adnaan Mohamed

There are derbies, and then there are rugby events that feel bigger than the competition table. The Stormers versus Bulls north–south clash at a sold-out DHL Stadium on Saturday belongs firmly in the latter category. It’s a fixture where reputations are tested as brutally as defensive lines.

The first URC blockbuster of 2026 arrives wrapped in symbolism. Damian Willemse will make his 100th start for the Stormers. Ruan Nortje returns to captain the Bulls. And at flyhalf, the generational baton hangs tantalisingly between two Springboks: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Handré Pollard.

One represents the present tense of South African rugby’s future: instinctive, elastic, daring. The other is its hardened past and still-relevant present: precise, economical, forged in World Cup fire. Saturday is less about rivalry than rugby arithmetic: what happens when flair meets control under maximum pressure?

Stormers: Tempo, Power and Cape Town Edge

The Stormers receive a significant boost with the return of Willemse and Feinberg-Mngomezulu, restoring balance to a side that thrives on momentum. Willemse’s presence in midfield alongside Wandisile Simelane gives the hosts ballast and punch, while Cobus Reinach and Feinberg-Mngomezulu form a halfback pairing designed to accelerate the game.

Director of Rugby John Dobson framed the occasion without hyperbole:

“This is one of the biggest club rugby matches in the world and will be played in front of a sold-out DHL Stadium. It should be an incredible experience for everyone there.

We know that we will need to be at our absolute best throughout the game to come away with the result.”

Out wide, Suleiman Hartzenberg and Leolin Zas provide finishing pace, with Warrick Gelant lurking at the back like a counter-attacking wildcard. Up front, captain Salmaan Moerat marshals a pack that blends aggression with continuity, supported by Evan Roos and Ben-Jason Dixon in the loose — players built for derby combat.

Bulls: Structure, Steel and World Cup Calm

The Bulls arrive in Cape Town with a side subtly reshaped for control rather than chaos. Ruan Nortje’s return to the starting XV restores authority to the pack, while Marco van Staden adds breakdown venom. The front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw remains intact, signalling a clear intent to contest the set-piece battle.

Behind them sits a familiar Bulls spine: Pollard at 10, Willie le Roux at 15, David Kriel in midfield — experience stacked upon experience. Canan Moodie’s move to centre injects line-breaking speed, while Paul de Wet starts at scrumhalf against his former side.

Head coach Johan Ackermann underlined the method behind the selection:

“We’ve assessed the Sharks game and made adjustments where needed. Ruan’s leadership is vital, and bringing in players like Canan Moodie and Marco van Staden gives us the right balance for this contest. It’s about alignment and intensity as we start the year.”

The Key Battlegrounds

The obvious headline is flyhalf, but the game may hinge elsewhere. The midfield collisions between Willemse and Moodie will dictate gain-line success. The breakdown duel with Roos and Dixon versus Van Staden and Louw, could determine territory. And off the bench, both sides possess finishers capable of swinging momentum late.

This is not a derby built on nostalgia. It is one shaped by present ambition and future consequence. The Stormers want tempo and emotion. The Bulls want structure and silence.

Cape Town will decide which philosophy holds firm when the noise peaks.

Team Sheets

DHL Stormers:
15 Warrick Gelant; 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas; 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach; 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Ruan Ackermann; 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c); 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: Lukhanyo Vokozela, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Sazi Sandi, Adré Smith, Ruben van Heerden, Paul de Villiers, Stefan Ungerer, Jurie Matthee.

Vodacom Bulls:
15 Willie le Roux; 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stravino Jacobs; 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Paul de Wet; 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden; 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Cobus Wiese; 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Khuta Mchunu, Ruan Vermaak, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Embrose Papier, Devon Williams.

Match Information

Date: Saturday, January 3
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 18:00 (16:00 GMT)
Referee: Griffin Colby (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)

Bok coaching talk adds spice to Stormers-Bulls North-South URC derby

Adnaan MohamedNewsLeave a Comment on Bok coaching talk adds spice to Stormers-Bulls North-South URC derby
Adnaan Mohamed

The Stormers–Bulls rivalry rarely needs a spark, but this week a murmur from the Springbok camp has crackled through the build-up, adding intrigue to Saturday’s Vodacom URC north-south derby at Cape Town Stadium.

Stormers defence coach Norman Laker admitted the Cape side was surprised by SA Rugby’s decision to allow members of the Springbok coaching and performance group (Felix Jones, Jerry Flannery, Duane Vermeulen and Andy Edwards) to assist the Bulls on a short-term basis.

For Laker, the timing felt as unusual as a line-out call changed mid-throw.

“It was quite interesting for me to see that, in such a big week, they’re bringing the Springbok coaches in to help the Bulls,” Laker said.

“Normally, the national coaches don’t really help teams when there are derbies involved. That’s always been the case.”

He stressed there was no accusation of foul play, only a break from tradition.

“In the past, guys like Felix Jones and Daan Human have assisted franchises when we were playing overseas opposition. Felix has helped us before, Daan has come in to help with scrummaging – but never ahead of a local derby,” he explained.

Pressed on whether the Bulls might gain an unfair edge, Laker kept his feet behind the advantage line.

“I can’t say if it’s a fair or unfair advantage. I just find it interesting. That’s all I can really say.”

Despite the chatter, Laker insisted the Stormers remain focused on their own execution rather than who is holding the clipboard across the halfway line.

“It doesn’t matter who coaches the team this week. A north-south derby is a game where players don’t need motivation. They’ll come out guns blazing, backs against the wall, wanting to win.”

Veteran scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, set for his first Stormers-Bulls derby after eight seasons in England and France, echoed the sentiment of controlled aggression.

“You hear from the boys how big this fixture is,” Reinach said. “It’s going to be physical, it’s going to be intense, and it’s about who fronts up on the day.”

Ackermann: ‘Perspective, not playbooks’

On the Highveld, Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann moved to clear the air, rejecting suggestions that Springbok assistant coaches were actively embedded with his squad during derby week.

“I never asked for that, and Rassie also said it wouldn’t be ideal,” Ackermann explained. “The thought that they would be in camp this week is ridiculous, and I challenge any press photographer to get a picture of a Bok coach at Loftus this week – it was never our intention.”

Ackermann said speculation had gained momentum without the full picture.

“The story was spread without the facts, and nobody bothered to speak to me. The truth is simple: I assessed everything and wanted a fresh pair of eyes to look at our defensive structures and bounce ideas off.”

He clarified that his request was about alignment rather than assistance in match planning.

“I said, you’ve always made your team of coaches available, and I’d love it if someone like [coach] Jerry Flanerry could come in and look at our defensive systems and share some ideas. I don’t expect the Bok coaches to put a plan together on how to win – that is my job as head coach. I have my own system; it was never my idea to secure plans.”

Any collaboration, Ackermann added, would be rotational and realistic.

“You can’t expect the Bok coaches, one of whom lives in Ireland, to be at Loftus every week. I’d be happy if they rotated, which is where the idea of involving Duane Vermeulen and Felix Jones came in.”

He drew a clear boundary between advice and authorship.

“I would never ask Rassie for game plans, merely a careful eye on what we are doing. This is about alignment and perspective, not about outsourcing our coaching.”

As the derby approaches, the debate has already kicked and chased. Soon, though, the noise will fade, and only the collisions will speak. This is proof once again that no amount of expertise off the field can replace muscle, mindset and moments when north meets south.