The Stormers' missing piece?
SPOTLIGHT: Having Cheslin Kolbe in your set-up immediately elevates your team to the next level – and Seabelo Senatla believes the Springbok star could be the missing piece in the Stormers’ quest for more silverware.
The Stormers made some significant signings, with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Cheslin Kolbe and Wilco Louw all returning to the franchise for the 2026/27 season.
The acquisitions are certainly a big boost for a team that last lifted the URC title in 2021/22.
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They were also crowned URC South African Shield champions in 2021/22 and 2022/23, but since then have yet to secure any silverware.
They spent the majority of last season at the summit of the URC table, but eventually fell short in the semifinals, suffering an 11-20 defeat to eventual champions Leinster.
The team certainly does not lack talent or X-factor, especially in the backline with the likes of Seabelo Senatla, Damian Willemse, captain Ruhan Nel and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in their ranks.
However, winger Senatla believes Kolbe could be the missing piece to take the team to the next level.
*Also read: Pietersen unveils plan for Suleiman Hartzenberg
“He’s a full package, and definitely a star signing for us.” Senatla said.
“If he’s not the greatest player at the moment – in my opinion at least – if he’s not up there in the top five, then I don’t know.
“Chessie is an amazing player.
“A lot of times the guys praise him for his attacking abilities, but that guy works. He defensively scrambles, he’s up in the air, he’s competitive, he fights for every single inch.
“He’s deemed to be a small guy, but he takes guys back – he’s bang vir niks [scared of nothing]. He’s a full package, and definitely a star signing for us.”
He added: “Though we’re the same age, I’m going to benefit from his experience.”
Having shared the field with Kolbe in Sevens and 15s, Senatla knows all too well the impact of the experienced winger.
The pair played together for the BlitzBoks, where they won a 2016 Olympic bronze medal.
They also faced the Rebels and Lions for the Stormers during the 2015 Super Rugby season before Kolbe left to join Toulouse in 2017, followed by Toulon and Tokyo Sungoliath.
“If you have two exciting wingers on both sides, it can do a lot for a team.
“I played with him in my 20s, I played with him also at the Stormers before he left. Now we have someone like him who can also start at fullback, which is a dangerous prospect for other teams.
“Playing with someone like that, who is so instinctive, you can just read off each other purely on movement. A lot of the magic stuff will happen this year, and it’s exciting for us.”
Kolbe is set to miss the few months of the season after the winger suffered a broken jaw just nine minutes into South Africa’s 29-24 win over the All Blacks on September 5 in Soweto.
Back to Stormers of old
Turning his attention to the team, Senatla, who scored a try against the All Blacks in the historic clash at DHL Stadium on August 7, believes the Stormers have the talent and ambition to play a more expansive brand of rugby this season.
The 33-year-old said the side’s recent preparations had already given them a glimpse of what they are capable of.
However, he stressed that they now need to build on that foundation and translate their potential into results.
“We had three weeks of training. We hadn’t worked on a lot of things. We haven’t become technical or any sort of thing like that.
“We just went out there early and just played with pure ambition.
“Now we have some things that we’re working on. We’re trying to tighten up on our game.
“We have the intention to go back to the Stormers of old, where we’re running the ball. I think that’s something we’ve been missing.
“Yes, we’ve been winning games, but we want to win games properly. We want to win games playing good rugby, and I think that’s what we’re trying to aim for.
“We’re trying to aim for the ball to move, because if you look at the amount of talent that’s within the group, it would be senseless not to move that ball.
“If you look at the guys in the backline alone, it’s just amazing.
“So if we’re not moving the ball, we’re underperforming, because we’re not utilising all the assets in our arsenal.
“For me, the potential is great, but we need to turn that potential now into something substantial.”
The Stormers will take on the Bulls this Friday in a pre-season match in Paarl.
The Cape franchise will opened their URC 2026/27 campaign with two challenging away fixtures against Connacht on September 25 and Edinburgh on October 2, before returning home for a coastal derby against the Sharks at DHL Stadium on October 10.
* Meanwhile, Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson has confirmed the 29-man squad for the pre-season practice match against the Bulls in Paarl on Friday.
The Stormers will welcome back the likes of Riley Norton, JD Schickerling, Jurie Matthee, Olly Reid, Sazi Sandi and Lukhanyo Vokozela from their respective injuries, while backs Andre Warner and Lleyton Davids get an opportunity as well.
Dobson said that after an intense training camp in Hermanus, the practice match in Paarl will give the team some valuable insights just two weeks out from the start of the season.
“We’ve made some good plans and put in some hard work in training, but there is nothing like match situations against quality opposition to show you where you really stand.
“We are also using this match to bring a fair number of players back from injury and give them some gametime before our match against Connacht on 25 September in Galway.
“It promises to be a special occasion, we know how much the people of Paarl love their rugby, and the venue has held some big matches before, but never these two teams. It promises to be a great day out,” he said.
Forwards: Luan Botha, Hacjivah Dayimani, Connor Evans, Neethling Fouche, Herman Lubbe, Louw Nel, Vernon Matongo, Riley Norton, Xola Nyali, Vernon Paulo, Gary Porter, Olly Reid, Sazi Sandi, JD Schickerling, Andre-Hugo Venter, Lukhanyo Vokozela.
Backs: Yaqeen Ahmed, Gino Cupido, Lleyton Davids, Mfundo Ndhlovu, Jurie Matthee, JC Mars, Dylan Miller, Markus Muller, Ezekiel Ngobeni, Jonathan Roche, Wandisile Simelane, Kyle Smith, Andre Warner.
