John Dobson wants the Stormers to honour the legacy of the Western Cape next season as the club gears up to kick off its 2026-27 Vodacom URC campaign on foreign turf, reports DEVIN HERMANUS.
The Stormers will face Connacht in Galway in round one on 25 September, followed by a clash against Edinburgh six days later, before returning to the Republic for their first home game of the campaign – a 10 October coastal derby with the Sharks.
“This is the most well-rounded squad we have assembled in recent years,” Dobson said during a Stormers event on Tuesday night at Cape Town Stadium, where the side’s new kits were officially unveiled. The away strip pays tribute to the Men in Black era.
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“While we face challenges at lock following the departures of Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden, the return of Siya Kolisi, Cheslin Kolbe and Wilco Louw, alongside exciting young talent like Riley Norton, Markus Muller and Oliver Reid, gives us confidence.
“Our first two fixtures are away against Connacht and Edinburgh on 4G surfaces … that’s a tough start. Then we come back for that amazing sequence of four home games, including the Sharks.”
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The director of rugby said seeing youngsters debut in Stormers colours, whether for the Bolts or U23s, carries real weight, and a clear pathway would inspire every young local talent.
He pointed to Kolisi, Kolbe, Frans Malherbe, Scarra Ntubeni and Damian de Allende as products of Jacques Hanekom’s former Stellenbosch institute, calling its revival a major long-term ownership commitment to Stormers rugby’s future.
“We sometimes face scrutiny over recruitment, such as bringing back Siya Kolisi at 35,” Dobson added. “I have never understood any resistance to a player of Siya’s calibre; he remains one of South Africa’s finest players and leaders, as shown by his recent Test performances.
“In European football, Athletic Bilbao adhere strictly to their Basque policy, fielding only players raised or trained in their region. Our environment is similarly unique. The people of the Western Cape understand this region, its culture and its communities implicitly.
“While there are moments when injuries at tighthead prop might force you to look elsewhere, our foundational core must understand this union.”
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Dobson also shared the team’s season theme, ‘Connected’, which covers both on-field cohesion and authentic players-fan alignment off the pitch.
“Rugby in this region carries a heritage stretching back nearly 150 years to the founding of Hamiltons in 1875. Our goal this season is to honour that legacy by staying deeply connected to our purpose, our rugby and our people.”
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The post Dobbo reconnects Stormers for ‘tough start’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
John Dobson wants the Stormers to honour the legacy of the Western Cape next season as the club gears up to kick off its 2026-27 Vodacom URC campaign on foreign turf.
The post Dobbo reconnects Stormers for ‘tough start’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
