Salute! Siya & Sacha deals super for the Stormers

Siya Kolisi’s homecoming to Cape Town next season, aligned with the signature of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, is the biggest of salutes from Stormers coach John Dobson and the club’s owners to their local support base. Christmas has come for the Stormers.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s renewal and contract extension from 2027 to 2029 was the biggest statement of the new ownership, Red Disa Investments, bearing in mind that Damain Willemse’s big signature was secured just before the new ownership.

SASHA’S SIGNATURE THE BIGGEST STORMERS STATEMENT

The signings of so many talented youngsters, coupled with Springboks Cobus Reinach and Wilco Louw, made for the best transfer news for Stormers supporters.

Then, on Tuesday, the 23rd December, came confirmation that the King of Cape Town Rugby, Springboks World Cup-winning captain Kolisi, would be returning home to Cape Town to be closer to his family and to the club he holds so dear in his heart, the Stormers.

It all began for Kolisi professionally as a rugby player in Cape Town and he is one of the elite club of Stormers Centurions.

Kolisi played 118 matches for the Stormers between 2011 and 2021 and 34 matches for Western Province in the same period.

Kolisi, since leaving the Stormers, had stints at the Sharks, Racing 92 and back at the Sharks, but everything suggested a return to Cape Town is what he wanted most, and the Stormers leadership, through coach Dobson and owner Johan le Roux, have facilitated the perfect final chapter to Kolisi’s rugby-playing career.

Few would counter the view that Kolisi deserves nothing less than to write his own final chapter, between now and the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. He deserves every bit of goodwill and belief that he is getting from the Stormers decision-makers.

The Stormers, seven from seven in the 2025/26 URC season and two from two in the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup, have enjoyed an unprecedented start to their season.

The signature of Kolisi cements the most glorious of month’s for the club.

Kolisi was all humility and gratitude to the Sharks for granting him an early release.

And rightly so.

Kolisi, who played his 100th Test for the Springboks in November, will add enormous value to the Stormers, as a player, a leader and a mentor.

ALL THE REPORTS: SIYA’S RETURN TO THE STORMERS

Stormers Rugby CEO Johan le Roux said: ‘Siya is a national icon who has such a strong connection to our team and our supporters. He is also a family man who wants to be there for his children as much as possible.

‘These are values that resonate with our club and given the significance of our heritage in defining where we want to go, we are very happy to welcome Siya back to hopefully see out his career in the jersey he wore when it started.

Kolisi said that returning to Cape Town is a significant moment for him and his family.

‘I have such incredible memories of my time at the DHL Stormers, the way I was embraced by the fans in my formative years has never left me.  My family is in Cape Town and it is important to me to be close to them. This move gives me the chance to do that while also giving back to the team and fans who made such a big contribution to the player and person I am today.

‘I am looking forward to contributing in any way I can to the future success and happiness of this special club and its incredible supporters,’ he said.

Director of Rugby John Dobson said: ‘We have got an outstanding crop of loose forwards in our squad and a number of very strong young leaders, with the last three Junior Springbok captains all on our books.

‘Siya will be able to help develop these players and mentor them in a way that nobody else could, given what he has achieved and what he represents to all South Africans and especially our fans.

‘We are very aware of the load that he has carried professionally and personally over the last few years, but what is so encouraging is the way that he has bought into helping us reach the goals we have set for ourselves in developing our squad as we build towards Project 2029.’