Stormers CEO Johan le Roux says the Cape franchise is focused on building from within rather than spending big on signings.
The Stormers have lost several players during the off-season, including hooker Joseph Dweba (Exeter Chiefs), scrumhalves Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne) and Paul de Wet (Bulls), flyhalf Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) and winger Ben Loader (Gloucester), while props Brok Harris and Steven Kitshoff both retired.
Props Ntuthuko Mchunu and Hencus van Wyk, loose forward Ruan Ackermann and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach have all been signed, but the Stormers’ equity partners, Red Disa Consortium, have resisted the urge to splash the cash.
“We are quite selective,” Le Roux explained in a wide-ranging interview with Rugby365. “Our model means we have to work within the financial framework of what we can generate to be profitable.
“We are focusing on youth, playing to our strengths. So many of the top schools in the country sit in our region. We have the two universities that contested the Varsity Cup final this year [UCT and Maties], and we have a very strong club system. It is logical for us to focus on the youth.”
MORE: New Stormers academy to keep Cape’s top talent
The Stormers will relaunch their academy next year, with a strong first intake of schoolboy talent, including Paarl Gimnasium loose forward Quintin Potgieter and centre Markus Muller; Rondebosch Boys’ prop Matt van der Merwe, loose forward Alutha Wesi and centre Randall-John Davids; Paul Roos hooker Altus Rabe, loose forward Gert Kemp and wing Jordan Steenkamp; as well as Wynberg Boys’ flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, Boland Landbou scrumhalf Jayden Brits and Grey College lock AJ Meyer.
“[The Stormers] must stay competitive while we are bringing these youngsters into the system,” said Le Roux. “We are fairly confident that the crop of players we have – if we keep them together – we’ll be competitive.
“We will go into the market where we have a crisis. It could be injury-driven or losing players to the overseas market. In those cases, we will go to market, and we have the resources to ensure we can bring back the quality like a Cobus Reinach.”
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Le Roux added that the Stormers’ equity partners are aligned with director of rugby John Dobson on a long-term plan, with the focus on youth, coaching structures and their High Performance Centre in Bellville.
“We are spending money on things we know will contribute to long-term success. We are not trying to buy success in the short term by bringing in players from outside the region. We are trying to ensure long-term success by putting structures in place and bringing local players through those structures.”
Photo: Ziyaad Douglas/Gallo Images
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