08 October 2026
DHL Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson has tracked a major shift in flanker Paul de Villiers following his recent Springbok milestones. The 23-year-old loose forward has returned to the franchise setup ahead of the upcoming United Rugby Championship coastal derby against the Hollywoodbets Sharks. Team management named De Villiers in a heavy-duty back row alongside Siya Kolisi and Hacjivah Dayimani.
The hard-grafting flanker previously played a secondary role in the team's leadership dynamics. Despite captaining South Africa at junior levels, he remained reserved behind the squad's senior core.
“He’s always been a leader, but we’ve had a lot of leaders and big players. He’s been in our leadership group, but quite quiet,” the director of rugby told reporters on Wednesday.
Following his international test debut against England in July, De Villiers immediately targeted direct tactical growth. He initiated focused technical interventions with the coaching staff regarding his primary contact responsibilities.
“He came to me and sat down and said: ‘I want to see these breakdowns, show me these carries. What are we trying to do?’
De Villiers' proactive mindset immediately translated into a tangible boost in training confidence. Dobson noted that this assertiveness has added a positive edge to the player's overall demeanour.
“He’s definitely come out of his shell. He’s got much more swagger, in a nice way, about him, a lot more swagger.
The Stormers expect this upgraded physical presence and breakdown authority to significantly bolster their pack. Dobson confirmed that the flanker's international exposure has yielded a player ready to take full ownership of his role.
“I have no doubt he’s come back a better player. He’s certainly more confident and keen to contribute to our environment in terms of his own thoughts, because he’s got a proper body of work now.
“It’s definitely a change in Paul for the good.”