Stormers unveil Springbok giant as new captain

The Stormers have confirmed the appointment of a Springbok star as their new captain for the 2023/24 season.

Salmaan Moerat has been battling injury these last couple of months and ultimately couldn’t launch a bid for Springbok RWC selection as a result. But the towering second rower is on the mend and was on Thursday unveiled as the new Stormers captain for the upcoming URC and Champions Cup campaigns.

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Moerat is no stranger to the role, having led the team in previous campaigns. The 25-year-old was in fact the first player to captain the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship back in 2021 and was at the helm against Dragons RFC in Gqeberha last season.

A proud product of the Western Province Rugby system, Moerat comes from a renowned rugby family and captained Western Province at age-group level before going on to lead both the SA Schools and Junior Springbok teams.

The imposing lock made his Stormers debut at the age of just 21 in 2018 and has since established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the second row.

He made his Springbok debut against Wales last year, but his season was cut short by a serious knee injury which he picked up in a Champions Cup clash at DHL Stadium in December.

Having worked hard to regain full fitness, Moerat is ready to lead the Stormers when the new season gets underway in October.

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DOBBO HAPPY WITH HIS CHOICE

Stormers head coach John Dobson said that Moerat was the obvious choice to take over the captaincy reins.

“Salmaan is a fantastic rugby player, a proven leader and most importantly a top human being who embodies what we want our team to be about.

“He and his family are part of the proud rugby heritage of the region and I know that the team will be in safe hands on the pitch with him at the helm,” he said.

STORMERS CAPTAIN COMMENTS ON NEW ROLE

Moerat said that he cannot wait to do his part as captain to help take the Stormers forward in the new season.

“It is a huge honour to captain the DHL Stormers and certainly not something that I will take for granted.

“I know how much this team means to the people who support us and I’ll be doing everything I can to continue making them proud of us.

“I couldn’t be happier to be back to full fitness and putting in the hard work in pre-season with the rest of the team. We have a lot to be excited about and I know the motivation levels among the squad are at an all-time high,” he said.