27 October 2026
DHL Stormers veteran scrumhalf Cobus Reinach has challenged rising scrumhalves Haashim Pead and Yaqeen Ahmed to back up their immense potential with relentless work ethic.
The double World Cup winner praised the young duo following their decisive roles in the Stormers' thrilling 52-40 United Rugby Championship victory over the Scarlets. Pead delivered a standout performance at the base of the scrum, while 20-year-old Ahmed crossed the whitewash twice late in the game to secure the full five log points.
Reinach refused to place a ceiling on Pead's future, placing the onus of development squarely on the young playmaker's shoulders.
“I can’t tell you what his ceiling is. That’s going to be determined by him, but I can tell you there’s a lot of potential,” Reinach told the media on Tuesday. “Like all our young players here, they have so much talent, and you can’t limit them, but the work they put in is where they’re going to go at the end of the day.”
The veteran No. 9 was equally impressed by Ahmed's tactical maturity under pressure. Ahmed's late brace proved to be the match-winning intervention after the Scarlets threatened a late fightback in the high-scoring encounter.
“Yaq showed his class,” Reinach said. “He’s 20, but he’s got a big rugby brain and rugby blood in him. Age doesn’t really matter anymore. The boy backs himself, and it came off well.”
The focus now shifts to maintaining this attacking momentum as the Cape outfit prepares for their next URC fixture. John Dobson's charges will rely heavily on this blend of youthful exuberance and experienced leadership to climb the tournament standings.
