John Dobson must also unearth hidden gems at new Stormers rugby academy

Leighton Koopman|Published

Cheslin Kolbe, who hails from Scottsville near Kraaifontein, didn’t attend a big rugby school, but through his talent and hard work, he became a two-time World Cup-winning Springbok. Photo: BackpagePix

Comment by Leighton Koopman

The Stormers are looking to establish a new academy that will ensure most of the best young players in Western Province continue playing their rugby in the Cape.

New CEO Johan le Roux told the media this week that there are plans to create a new Stormers rugby academy, although the finer details still need to be worked out.

The aim for new Stormers director of rugby John Dobson is to also find those gems beyond the scopes of Craven Week tournaments and the traditional rugby schools, and unearth talent that often slips through the net.

Western Province arguably had the best academy in the country for years before their money troubles led to its doors being closed.

Now, with new owners Red Disa Investment pumping capital into Stormers Rugby – formerly known as Western Province Professional Rugby – it is Dobson’s ambition to get the academy going again to have an organic talent pipeline assisting the Stormers and WP in the Currie Cup.

Products of the WP Rugby Institute (WPRI) back in the day include the likes of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Bok enforcer Eben Etzebeth, prop Frans Malherbe, hooker Scarra Ntubeni, No 8 Nizaam Carr and centre Damian de Allende.

They all walked a path with the Stormers as senior players and all achieved Springbok colours. Apart from Ntubeni and Carr, the others went on to win two World Cups.

Dobson and the Stormers’ new owners will now look into establishing a new academy that could follow in the footsteps of the WPRI.

But it needs to cast its net wider and provide opportunities to those players outside of the top schools too.

A core group of players will most likely come from Paarl Boys’ High, Paarl Gim, Paul Roos, Bishops, Wynberg Boys, Rondebosch Boys, SACS and the respective universities, but the Stormers will have to make provision for players from disadvantaged schools in the Cape.

There are plenty of players like Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe out there who didn’t attend a top rugby school or get chosen for established set-ups, but persevered and through hard work, finally received opportunities.

The Paarl duo of Arendse and Williams were part of the WP academy, but how they fell through the cracks at Province and Boland remains a mystery.

The two became World Cup winners after they left the two provinces for opportunities elsewhere.

As director of rugby, Dobson will hopefully be hands-on when it comes to the recruitment for the Stormers Academy. He has an eye for spotting talent – he’s done that in the past as coach of WP’s Under-21 and Vodacom Cup sides.

He pulled club players into his set-up over the years who were good enough for the Stormers back then – if only they had received opportunities higher up. But those chances did not come.

Dobson witnessed talented players slip through the cracks and the Stormers’ net.

But now he is in a position to change that narrative as a decision-maker and create opportunities for those players outside of the traditional big schools and universities.

He can only add to his growing legacy at the Stormers if he can establish a pathway to the team for talented young players who otherwise would’ve been overlooked by the system.

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