Western Province will no longer play in the Currie Cup.
The record 34-time champions will instead compete in the domestic tournament as the Stormers XXIII.
The move follows Friday’s announcement that all Stormers Rugby teams will align under a single brand, aimed at bringing clarity and consistency for stakeholders.
Following the change of the company name to Stormers Rugby in 2024 and the bold rebranding in 2025, the next step in the evolution of the brand will see all professional teams come under the same banner – in line with international best practice for sporting entities.
All amateur rugby teams under the Western Province Rugby Football Union will continue to play under the Western Province brand and provide a pipeline of world-class talent which is unrivalled.
The upcoming SA Rugby U23 Cup will see the introduction of the Stormers XXIII, which will also compete in the Currie Cup, while the team to take part in the SA Rugby U20 Cup will be known as the Stormers Bolts.
The Stormers Rugby brand will continue to be closely aligned to the heritage and history of Western Province teams, as signalled by the new-look home kit that was introduced following the rebrand at the start of the season, which features the iconic blue and white hoops, black shorts, black socks and a disa on the back of the jersey.
The Stormers Rugby teams will retain their connection to the rich history of rugby in the Western Cape while also being clearly united, with the Stormers Bolts and Stormers XXIII providing a clear path to the Stormers squad for all players coming through the professional system.
Stormers Rugby CEO Johan le Roux said that the consolidation of the two brands is an important step forward.
“By bringing all our professional teams under one brand we are now completely aligned publicly, and this change will help to bring clarity about who we are and how all our teams fit together in the minds of our fans,” he said.
“Our heritage will always be an integral part of who we are as an organisation and the Western Province amateur teams will continue to play an important role in nurturing talent to be brought into the Stormers Rugby system.
“As a business, this brings us in line with global best practice as we continue to strive to compete among the top rugby clubs in the world.
“Our slogan is that we are ‘in it together’ and with teams competing across various professional competitions, that is now absolutely clear to all.”
There are also practical benefits to consolidating the brands, which enable players and management to be featured on Stormers platforms which have broader reach, assist in promotion and marketing of all matches, reduce confusion among the fanbase along with the financial benefit of managing kit and other associated expenses of running two brands.
With the South African professional rugby calendar running year-round, it is important that players are able to move easily between various teams under the same brand.
The Stormers XXIII to feature in the Currie Cup will use largely the same playing squad as in the upcoming SA Rugby U23 Cup. In this way, the domestic senior provincial tournament will continue to be used to give players valuable experience and exposure as they seek to compete for places in the Stormers squad for the Vodacom URC and Investec Champions Cup competitions.
Hanyani Shimange has been appointed to oversee the transition of players through the pathway programme to the XXIII set-up and into to the senior Stormers squad. He will head-up the campaign for the inaugural national U23 tournament and work with Stormers XXIII head coach Labeeb Levy, forwards coach Helmut Lehmann, attack coach Dewaldt Duvenage and defence coach Craig Childs.
Brok Harris will serve as scrum coach, with Migael Wahl the strength and conditioning coach and Uzair Saban the analyst, while Bradley Hollenbach will be the team manager.
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Director of rugby John Dobson said that with the Stormers positioned at the pinnacle, the pathway for all professional players is now crystal clear.
“We will always be rooted in the rich history of Western Province rugby and continue to draw on the hotbed of talent we have that will come through the amateur teams,” he said.
“Who we play for, how we play our rugby and why it means so much to represent this region will never be in doubt.
“We are taking a step into the future while remaining true to all those who contributed to getting us here. We know that our fans will get right behind every team that plays in our colours, as they always have.”
WPRFU president Kevin Kiewitz said that the amateur and professional game will continue to support one another, with the relationship between the two as strong as it has ever been.
“Amateur and professional rugby have always fed off each other, and we hope to see both go from strength to strength in the Western Cape,” he said. “Our Western Province teams will continue to represent excellence and provide a crucial pipeline of talent for the Stormers Rugby teams.”
Photo: Gallo Images
