Stormers · History

The Stormers were set up in 1998, when Super 12 reforms replaced provincial entries with regional franchises. Based in Cape Town and built on the Western Province union, the side first played as the Western Stormers and drew players from Western Province, Boland and South Western Districts (SWD). The 1998 jersey combined the colours of all three unions. SWD contributed players until 2005.

Origins and first seasons

Western Province had already taken part in the first Super 12 season in 1996. They finished 11th with three wins from eleven matches. After the switch to franchises the new team finished ninth in 1998. A year later they came second in the regular-season table and hosted a semi-final in Cape Town, which they lost 33–18 to the Highlanders. In 2004 they finished third and reached the semi-finals again, losing 27–16 to the Crusaders in Christchurch. For decades the home ground was Newlands, which opened in 1888 and staged its first official matches in 1890.

The Coetzee years and the 2010 final

Allister Coetzee, an assistant at the union since 2008, was head coach from 2010 to 2015. In his first season the Stormers beat the Waratahs 25–6 in the semi-final and reached their first final. It was played on 29 May 2010 at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, because Loftus Versfeld was being prepared for the World Cup. The Bulls won 25–17 and took their second title in a row; Morné Steyn scored 20 of their points. The Stormers lost home semi-finals at Newlands in 2011, to the Crusaders, and in 2012, to the Sharks. In 2012 they topped the overall table for the first time. They won the South African Conference in 2011, 2012 and 2015, and in 2015 they lost a home quarter-final to the Brumbies.

From Fleck to Dobson

Robbie Fleck, Coetzee’s backline coach, took over in 2016 and stayed until 2019. Under him the side won the South African Conference in 2016 and 2017. John Dobson became head coach in 2020. Covid-19 cut that season short, and in the domestic Super Rugby Unlocked competition the Stormers finished second with four wins, one draw and one defeat. Their last match at Newlands, in November 2020, was a win over the Cheetahs. In 2021 they moved to Cape Town Stadium, which was built for the 2010 World Cup and holds about 55,000. Their first game there, on 27 February 2021, was a warm-up match against the Cheetahs played without spectators, and they lost it 34–33. Later that year they finished second in the South African section of the Pro14 Rainbow Cup.

United Rugby Championship

For 2021–22 the Stormers left Super Rugby for the new United Rugby Championship. They finished second in the league table and met the Bulls in the first final, played on 18 June 2022 at Cape Town Stadium. They trailed 7–3 at half-time and won 18–13. Evan Roos and André-Hugo Venter scored the tries, and Manie Libbok added a conversion, a penalty and a late drop goal. The Stormers also won the South African Shield, awarded to the top South African side in the league, in 2021–22 and 2022–23.

As champions they reached the final again in 2023. On 27 May 2023, in front of 56,344 spectators at Cape Town Stadium, Munster won 19–14 with a late try from John Hodnett; Libbok and Deon Fourie scored the Stormers’ tries.

Europe and later seasons

Qualifying for the league also opened the European Champions Cup. In their first campaign, in 2022–23, they reached the quarter-finals and lost to Exeter Chiefs. They went out to La Rochelle in the round of 16 in 2023–24. In the league they lost quarter-finals to Glasgow Warriors in both 2023–24 and 2024–25. In 2025–26 they finished third in the table and lost the semi-final to Leinster.