Hooker Vernon Paulo has signed with Stormers Rugby and will bolster the front row stocks going forward. The powerful 24-year-old is a product of the Western Cape, having been born and raised in Riversdale and attending Oakdale Landbou.
He went on to star for the NWU Eagles, winning the Varsity Cup in 2023 before making his professional debut for the Toyota Cheetahs later that same year.
Director of Rugby John Dobson said that Paulo’s clear natural abilities and his passion for the team made him an attractive prospect.
“Vernon has shown a lot of promise since school at Oakdale. We were close at one stage to contracting and developing him in partnership with Griquas, but he decided to go to the Cheetahs.”
“Vernon has all the attributes to mix it with the best, and we are confident that we can develop his game further in our system. He certainly has the drive to improve and compete in every area.
“What we really like about him is his ability as a ball carrier, his physical presence, scrummaging and competitive nature. In those respects, he reminds one of Joseph Dweba. His line-out throwing and conditioning will need a bit of refinement, but he shows a lot of promise.”
“On top of all that, he is also incredibly passionate about playing for this team, having grown up as a supporter of ours, and we know that he will be putting all he has into representing our fans with pride when he gets the opportunity,” he said.
