02 October 2026
The Stormers are hunting a decisive victory against Edinburgh tonight at 20:45 SAST to cap off their United Rugby Championship tour before heading back to Cape Town. Director of Rugby John Dobson wants his team to sharpen their finish and show more grit on the road.
“Last week’s performance against Connacht was encouraging in many ways, but we would like to see a more ruthless edge to our game, which we have worked on this week,” Dobson said.
The Cape side has bolstered their squad with experienced campaigners and explosive young talent to handle the heavy collisions. Springbok star Siya Kolisi returns to the mix alongside Ntuthuko Mchunu and Stefan Ungerer, while newcomers Yaqeen Ahmed and Wandile Simelane add fresh legs to the matchday squad.
“We know that Edinburgh is a tough place to play and we have some experience coming in, with Siya, Ntuthuko and Stefan included along with Yaqeen Ahmed and Wandile Mlabaa, who are both really exciting young players,” Dobson noted.
Kolisi's physical presence on Edinburgh’s synthetic 4G pitch will be a massive asset for the visitors in the breakdown battles. With regular loose forwards Paul de Villiers and Deon Fourie sidelined, the double World Cup-winning captain steps straight into the number six jersey.
“Rugby-wise, we needed Siya. We have two other Springbok sixes in Paul [de Villiers] and Deon [Fourie], and neither was available this week,” Dobson explained.
Dobson believes Kolisi has evolved into a much bigger, more imposing flanker since his previous stint in the Mother City. The coach expects him to dominate the collisions and disrupt Edinburgh's possession through heavy tackling and counter-rucking.
“He’s not an out-and-out stealer; he gets turnovers through his tackling and counter-rucking,” Dobson said. “What I can’t get over with Siya, and it’s going to sound like a silly point, is the size of him. He’s an openside flank, maybe not the world’s most traditional openside flank, but he’s a big beast.”
Beyond his work rate on the ground, Kolisi’s leadership and energy have already given the squad a massive boost during the tour. The Stormers need a clinical 80-minute performance from the entire matchday 23 to secure the points before a four-match home streak.
“In terms of leadership, he’s got a big role to play, probably around the integration of the Springboks and setting standards,” Dobson added. “It will take a big effort from all 23 players to get the result before we go back to Cape Town for what will be a crucial period in the context of our season.”