The Lions Rugby Company officially confirmed the departure of scrumhalf Haashim Pead, who will be leaving the franchise to join the DHL Stormers in Cape Town.
Pead, who began his professional career at the Lions in 2024, has made the decision to continue his rugby journey in the Western Cape.
During his time in Johannesburg, he established himself as a standout talent, earning his senior domestic debut in the Currie Cup against the Vodacom Bulls, followed by an international debut against the Newcastle Red Bulls.
Following an exceptional rise through the ranks, Pead was named the Junior Player of the Year in 2025. His consistently impressive performances at domestic level recently earned him a call-up to Rassie Erasmus’s Springbok alignment camp for the 2025/26 season.
Lions Rugby Company CEO- Rudolf Straeuli said: "Haashim has been a dedicated and exceptional talent since beginning his professional career with us in 2024. While we are sad to see him depart Johannesburg, we respect his decision to take on a new challenge with the DHL Stormers. We thank him for his service to the Lions and wish him success in the next chapter of his career."
The deal looked dead in the water just days ago. Initial reports suggested that talks had completely collapsed after the Lions demanded an unprecedented transfer fee for the junior star. Stormers head coach John Dobson dismissed the rumoured record-breaking figures as "hogwash," throwing the move into absolute doubt.
However, behind-the-scenes intervention from a third party broke the deadlock. A final agreement was struck for what sources describe as a "reasonable" transfer fee, clearing the path for the talented No. 9 to head to the Mother City.
Pead’s arrival could not have come at a better time for John Dobson's men. The Stormers have been hit by a severe scrumhalf crisis following a long-term ACL injury to youngster Imad Khan.
With veteran Cobus Reinach frequently away on Springbok duty and unavailable for large parts of the domestic season, the Cape franchise was desperately thin on scrumhalf. Pead provides immediate tactical relief and adds immense long-term value to the squad's depth chart.
Pead will not link up with the squad immediately. He is scheduled to join his new teammates in Cape Town as soon as they return from their opening United Rugby Championship (URC) European tour matches against Connacht and Edinburgh.
If his integration into the system goes smoothly, Pead could make his official Stormers debut at Cape Town Stadium on 10 October 2026 in a massive local derby against the Sharks.
