The DHL Stormers enter the 2026/27 rugby season with massive expectations and what director of rugby John Dobson calls the strongest squad he has ever assembled. Following a semi-final exit in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and a Round of 16 finish in Europe last season, the Cape Town franchise has shifted its focus from being mere contenders to chasing silverware outright under the umbrella of "Project 2029".
With the URC season kicking off this Friday, 25 September 2026, against Connacht in Galway, the team is fully geared up to convert their immense potential into tangible trophies across both domestic and European stages.
The biggest story out of the Cape this year is the sensational return of iconic local talent and Springbok heavyweights. Double World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi returns to Cape Town to bring invaluable leadership and grit to the back row, while powerhouse prop Wilco Louw rejoins from the Bulls to bolster an already formidable front-row set-piece.
Electric winger Cheslin Kolbe also makes his highly anticipated homecoming, though fans will have to wait slightly into the season to see him pull on the jersey due to a broken jaw.
Adding to the excitement, the transfer of 21-year-old sensation Haashim Pead has been officially confirmed. The move brings the record-breaking former Junior Springbok scrumhalf back to his hometown to solve an injury-enforced crisis at No 9.
These figures join an exceptional core headlined by utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, star loose forward Evan Roos, and dynamic playmaker Damian Willemse, with veteran centre Ruhan Nel stepping up as the permanent club captain for the massive 56-man squad.
However, the Stormers carry a familiar tactical trap into the new season, sharing the same technical "shortcoming" as the Springboks: a vulnerability in their defence out wide. Relying on an aggressive, suffocating up-and-out blitz system designed to kill time behind the gainline, they risk falling into chaos if the opposition executes accurate skip-passes or cross-kicks. When the initial rush is bypassed, edge defenders are often left completely isolated.
Furthermore, the team explicitly dislikes playing a rigid, structured game plan, preferring instead to thrive on transition play and broken-field chaos. This reliance on flair means their dangerous game-breakers struggle heavily if they do not receive quality ball in space to attack with.
When a disciplined opponent slows down their breakdown or dominates the set-piece, the Stormers' star-studded backline can look entirely mortal. Starved of front-foot momentum, playmakers often catch the ball standing still, resulting in lateral running that plays right into a defensive drift. If forced into a phase-play grind without a Plan B, impatience inevitably triggers unforced errors.
In the United Rugby Championship, the Stormers are determined to improve on last year's third-place regular-season finish and subsequent semi-final loss to Leinster. While their world-class front row and loose-forward depth will give them a major advantage, their squad depth will be tested heavily in the engine room.
The departures of Salmaan Moerat to La Rochelle and Ruben van Heerden to Montpellier have left major shoes to fill. This means young lock talents like Riley Norton and Conor Evans must step up quickly to anchor the scrum.
If the coaching staff can effectively manage mandatory Springbok rest periods, integrate the newly acquired Pead into the backline rotation, and improve their knockout form away from home, the Stormers are legitimate contenders to reach the Grand Final.
Simultaneously, the Investec Champions Cup presents a brutal challenge as the Stormers have been drawn into a highly competitive Pool 3 alongside heavy hitters from France and England. The stakes are higher than ever this year under the tournament's new rule changes. These dictate that only the top three teams from each pool automatically advance to the Round of 16, alongside the next four highest-ranked teams pool-wide.
While the long-term goal remains building a squad capable of conquering Europe by 2029, escaping this pool is an immediate priority. Backed by their passionate faithful at the DHL Stadium for crucial home matches against Bristol Bears and Racing 92, the Stormers should comfortably navigate the pool stages and target a minimum of a quarter-final berth.
2026/27 fixtures:
* 25 Sept 2026: URC (Round 1) vs Connacht Rugby at Dexcom Stadium, Galway
* 02 Oct 2026: URC (Round 2) vs Edinburgh Rugby at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
* 10 Oct 2026: URC (Round 3) vs Hollywoodbets Sharks at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 17 Oct 2026: Investec Champions Cup (Round 1) vs Bristol Bears at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 24 Oct 2026: URC (Round 4) vs Scarlets at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 31 Oct 2026: URC (Round 5) vs Ulster Rugby at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 05 Dec 2026: URC (Round 6) vs Hollywoodbets Sharks at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium, Durban
* 13 Dec 2026: Investec Champions Cup (Round 2) vs Union Bordeaux Bègles at André Moga Stadium, Bègles
* 19 Dec 2026: URC (Round 7) vs Lions at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 03 Jan 2027: URC (Round 9) vs Vodacom Bulls at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 09 Jan 2027: Investec Champions Cup (Round 3) vs Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
* 16 Jan 2027: Investec Champions Cup (Round 4) vs Racing 92 at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 23 Jan 2027: URC (Round 10) vs Cardiff Rugby at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 30 Jan 2027: URC (Round 11) vs Zebre Rugby Club at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 21 Feb 2027: URC (Round 8) vs Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
* 27 Feb 2027: URC (Round 12) vs Lions at 10Bet Ellis Park, Johannesburg
* 19 Mar 2027: URC (Round 13) vs Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
* 27 Mar 2027: URC (Round 14) vs Ospreys at Swansea.com Stadium, Plasmarl
* 17 Apr 2027: URC (Round 15) vs Benetton Rugby at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 24 Apr 2027: URC (Round 16) vs Munster Rugby at DHL Stadium, Cape Town
* 08 May 2027: URC (Round 17) vs Leinster Rugby at RDS, Dublin
* 15 May 2027: URC (Round 18) vs Dragons RFC at Rodney Parade, Newport
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DHL Stormers 2026/27 Squad
Props
Neethling Fouché (114), Oli Kebble (57), Sazi Sandi (52), Wilco Louw (52), Vernon Matongo (22), Ntuthuko Mchunu (19), Zachary Porthen (15), Hencus van Wyk (2), Herman Lubbe* (1), Olly Reid* (1)
Hookers
André-Hugo Venter (89), JJ Kotzé (58), Lukhanyo Vokozela (4), Vernon Paulo (0), Luca Bakkes (0)
Locks
JD Schickerling (74), Adré Smith (69), Connor Evans (40), Gary Porter (19), Riley Norton* (0)
Loose Forwards
Deon Fourie (141), Siya Kolisi (118), Marcel Theunissen (95), Evan Roos (87), Ben-Jason Dixon (86), Hacjivah Dayimani (64), Paul de Villiers (36), Keke Morabe (19), Louw Nel (13), Ruan Ackermann (10), Wandile Mlaba* (2), Divan Fuller* (0)
Scrumhalves
Stefan Ungerer (47), Imad Khan (18), Cobus Reinach (9), Ezekiel Ngobeni (0), Jayden Brits* (0)
Flyhalves
Jean-Luc du Plessis (61), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (53), Jurie Matthee (29), Yaqeen Ahmed* (1), Kyle Smith* (0)
Centres
Ruhan Nel (90), Wandisile Simelane (41), Jonathan Roche (16), Markus Muller* (1), Josh Boulle (0)
Wings
Leolin Zas (99), Seabelo Senatla (74), Cheslin Kolbe (49), JC Mars* (3), Mfundo Ndhlovu (1), Joel Leotlela (0), Gino Cupido* (0)
Fullbacks
Damian Willemse (118), Warrick Gelant (77)