DHL Stormers lock in World Cup winner ahead of the 2025/26 season

Former URC champions the DHL Stormers have confirmed the signing of Double World Cup winning Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach ahead of the 2025/26 season.

A 39-times Springbok cap, Reinach has spent the last seven years plying his trade in the Gallagher Premiership with Northampton and the Top 14 with Montpellier.

The 34-year-old’s signing is a good move by the franchise who announced earlier in the season that fellow Springbok World Cup winner Herschel Jantjies will be departing at the end of the season for the Top 14.

Director of Rugby John Dobson said that Reinach’s profile fits perfectly with the style of play which the DHL Stormers are known for.

“Cobus has proven himself a threat at the highest level of the game and we are expecting him to fit in seamlessly here.

“He is a double World Cup winner and his considerable experience will be vital as we develop the next generation of young talent, with the likes of Imad Khan and Asad Moos set to benefit greatly from working closely with him.

“His attacking abilities are well-known, but he is also a player with great rugby IQ and given his knowledge of European conditions and opposition he will provide plenty of value on and off the pitch,” he said.

Reinach said that he is thrilled to be returning to South Africa to play for the DHL Stormers.

“It will obviously be great for my family and I to return home, but what is just as exciting for me is to join a team playing such a great brand of rugby.

“I know a lot of the DHL Stormers players well and I feel that I have a lot to offer within their game model, so I am looking forward to connecting with my new teammates and coaches when I move down to Cape Town at the end of the season,” he said.

Stormers Rugby CEO Johan le Roux said that attracting the interest of a top player like Reinach shows that the project is moving in the right direction.

“Cobus is a premier talent and we are thrilled to have someone of his quality coming in to bolster our squad.

“While the primary focus will always be on developing local talent, it is also important that our coaching staff are on the look-out for strategic acquisitions at the top-end of the game that will help take us forward,” he said.