Stormers raid rivals for ‘respected’ Springbok in statement of intent
Springboks prop Wilco Louw and an inset of Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson.
The Stormers have officially confirmed the signing of Springboks prop Wilco Louw, who will join the Cape Town-based side from the Bulls.
One of the most dominant scrummaging tighthead props in the game right now, the 31-year-old will rejoin the Stormers from the start of the 2026/27 season.
Louw made his debut for the Stormers in 2015, and his impressive performances would see him go on to represent South Africa for the first time in 2017. In 2019, he left Cape Town to join Harlequins, where he won the Premiership Rugby trophy in 2021.
Louw returns to Cape Town
He returned to South Africa, signing with the Bulls in 2023 and a year later was recalled to the Springboks squad, earning his first caps since 2021 and has remained in Rassie Erasmus’ squad since.
A product of HTS Drostdy in Worcester, the powerful prop returns to the team he grew up supporting and ready to add to his 46 Stormers caps.
Director of rugby John Dobson said that bringing Louw back to the Cape is a signal of intent of where his team wants to go in the years ahead.
“Wilco made his name as a DHL Stormer, he grew up in the region and has developed into one of the most respected props around the world,” he said.
“Bringing him back next season is a big move for us and we know that he will make a big impact once again.
“We pride ourselves on our scrum culture here and having someone of Wilco’s quality in the mix will only improve that. Beyond his attributes as a player, he is also a top person who understands what we are trying to achieve as a team, so we are all looking forward to having him back in the fold.”
The 22-Test cap prop says that he is looking forward to being back in the Stormers squad at the conclusion of the upcoming season.
“I am obviously focused on this season with my current team, but I am also excited about what the future holds for me back in Cape Town,” he added.
“I know the players, coaches and staff at the DHL Stormers and believe this will be a really positive move for me as a rugby player on and off the field.”
Louw is not the only former Stormer who is set to return to the club with reports stating that ex-Glasgow Warriors prop and Scotland international Oli Kebble will return to Cape Town in a swap deal with the Bulls.
According to Netwerk24, the front-rower had signed with the Bulls after he was released by the Warriors, but will rejoin the Stormers instead, with Sti Sithole making the move to Pretoria. Sithole has since been confirmed in the Bulls’ URC squad ahead of the new season.
Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Springboks’ rising star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has extended his contract that was set to expire in 2027 by a further two years, keeping him at the club until 2029.
Former Stormer extends Sale Sharks’ contract
Finally, Ernst van Rhyn has committed his long-term future to the Sale Sharks by signing a three-year contract extension.
The back-five forward joined the PREM Rugby club in 2023 and has quickly become a fans’ favourite which has resulted in an extension through to June 2029 despite having a year left on his current deal.
He has made 46 appearances for the club, including 24 during the 2024/25 season in which he started all 18 Gallagher Premiership fixtures.
Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson said: “As a player and a person, Ernie’s boundless workrate is matched only by the attitude he brings to everything he does and the energy that he gives to everyone around him.
“Off the field he is an incredible leader, not just in how he trains and carries himself, but in his words and the way he speaks to people.
“On the field he’s a relentlessly physical and extraordinary player who we feel very fortunate to have at the club. We’re so excited that he’s committed his future to the club because we feel he’s only going to get better.”
