As the other Vodacom United Rugby Championship teams prepare for their traditional Boxing Day derbies it appears silly season has hit in South Africa with the DHL Stormers choosing two days before Christmas to make an announcement they were initially planning for January.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s intention to move back to the region that produced him has been simmering under ever since he made it known he wanted to be back in Cape Town on the eve of the last Stormers/Hollywoodbets Sharks derby back at the turn of the year.
What wasn’t expected was that the Stormers would announce it when most South African people working in rugby were more concerned about avoiding sunburn than thinking about the sport.
It appears their hand was forced by a news leak, and then the Sharks had to follow suit by confirming Kolisi’s exit from a franchise he has played for since 2021, with the exception of the year he spent with Racing 92.
THE ACQUISITION MAKES MARKETING SENSE
Although the Stormers prioritised the mentorship role Kolisi can play when he returns to the Cape in July in their press release, it is probably a move that makes more marketing sense, with there being huge marketing value to having a double World Cup-winning captain on your books, than rugby sense given how settled the Stormers culture, and their current back row, actually is.
But it does make some rugby sense for both parties too - Kolisi should be used sparingly in the buildup to the 2027 Rugby World Cup and, because the Stormers currently have more depth than the Sharks do, that can probably happen easier when contracted to the Cape team than it would in Durban, where it would be assumed he is needed in all big games he is available for.
Right now the Stormers back row of Paul de Villiers, who has won three man of the match awards in a row wearing the No 6 jersey that Kolisi wears for the Boks, blindside flank Ben-Jason Dixon alternating with Marcel Theunissen and No 8 Evan Roos is cooking and then there is also Deon Fourie set to return from injury, Ruan Ackermann and others.
CAN MENTOR FUTURE LEADERS
Many of the Stormers players and leaders are young though and the three recent Junior Bok leaders they have on their books (De Villiers, Zachary Porthen and Rilee Norton) could all profit from rubbing shoulders with Kolisi within the environment. Kolisi has utility value as a player too - he has played No 6 and No 8 at the Sharks and would also easily fit into a blindside flank role.
With the Stormers set to also welcome the Vodacom Bulls strongman Wilco Louw in July, there is no shortage of depth for the team currently at the top of the URC log. While the Stormers have won seven in a row, their next opponents, the Bulls, are on a losing streak and according to reports there are coaching changes on the way in Pretoria.
More on that is likely to be unveiled later in the day. It is Christmas Eve, so it really is silly season, something that used to be reserved for the months before the season started. We are approaching mid-season in the URC, and the overseas teams all go into important derbies in the two days after Christmas that could have an impact on the standing of the South African teams who are rightly getting time off this year before they resume with a round of derbies on 3 January.
LIMERICK IS GAME OF THE WEEKEND
Top of the games this week is the one in Limerick that brings the curtain down on round 8 on Saturday night, with Munster poised to overtake the Stormers at the top of the log if they can get the same result at home that they managed in Dublin in October. Of course, if they do win, the Stormers will still have a game in hand.
Also of interest to the Stormers will be the return 1872 game between Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors in Edinburgh. The Stormers should be hoping for the home win that will hurt the challenge of the dangerous Glaswegians. There were a few upsets last week and, given it is a derby round, there should be again.
Round 8 Vodacom URC fixtures
Cardiff Rugby v Dragons (Cardiff, Friday 5pm)
Cardiff suffered an unexpected defeat at the hands of Scarlets last week that has hurt what was shaping as a strong challenge. They dropped from second to third and with six points now separating them from the log leading Stormers they need to get back on the horse against a team that produced arguably the shock of last weekend against Connacht.
Prediction: Cardiff to win by 10
Scarlets v Ospreys (Llanelli, Friday 7:30pm)
Scarlets have recovered well from their poor start to the season and while they are still second last they have at least picked up some momentum as they go into this game off the back of two successive wins. The first of those was against Glasgow Warriors just before the break for the Investec Champions Cup.
Prediction: Scarlets to win by 8
Zebre v Benetton (Parma, Saturday 4:30pm)
Zebre weren’t far away in last week’s first of two back to back Italian derbies, losing by six points in Treviso, and on their home ground they stand a real chance of producing an upset.
Prediction: Zebre to scrape it by less than 5
Edinburgh v Glasgow (Edinburgh, Saturday 5pm)
The return 1872 game is hard to call as often the teams reverse the previous result and Edinburgh, who were competitive for most of the game last week, are at home this time. However, you have to back the Glasgow pedigree in what should be a close game.
Prediction; Glasgow to win by less than 7
Connacht v Ulster (Galway, Saturday 7:30pm)
Connacht were awful last week against the Dragons and need to stand up. Ulster, although they lost narrowly to Leinster in Dublin, bossed that game for part of the way and although Ireland derbies are always hard to call, they go to Galway with some hope.
Prediction: Ulster to sneak it.
Munster v Leinster (Limerick, Saturday 9:45pm)
Leinster will be smarting from their unexpectedly comprehensive defeat at home to their arch-rivals in Dublin in October and there is no love lost between these teams. With the South African sides enjoying their holiday, this is undeniably the big URC game of the weekend. It is time for Leinster to stand up or they could be struggling for a top four place.
Prediction: Leinster to win by less than 5