DHL Stormers Captain To Join French Top 14

DHL Stormers club captain Salmaan Moerat will bid farewell to Cape Town at the end of the current season to take up a significant career opportunity in France.

A cornerstone of Western Province rugby, Moerat is a proud product of the regional system. He famously captained Paarl Boys’ High and the DHL Western Province U18 side at the 2016 Craven Week before leading the Junior Springboks on the international stage.

Moerat made his professional debut for the Stormers against the Highlanders in Dunedin in 2018. Since then, he has amassed 70 caps and etched his name into the history books by captaining the side in their inaugural Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) fixture against Benetton in 2021. Over the past two seasons, he has served as both the Stormers’ club captain and a leader for the Springboks.

Director of Rugby John Dobson said that while it is tough to see a player who has played such an influential role at the club go, Stormers Rugby was never going to stand in his way.

“Salmaan embodies a lot of what we are about as a team. He is a homegrown talent from a renowned rugby family who has earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike through his selfless approach on and off the field.

“This is a significant opportunity for him and his young family to achieve financial security that would not be possible here. He will always be a part of us and hopefully will return home at some stage,” he said.

Moerat said that his connection with the DHL Stormers will always be there.

“I grew up dreaming of playing for this team and the memories I have will stay with me forever. This move will hopefully be a positive one for me as a rugby player and for my family and I’d love to return to play for the DHL Stormers one day. It will always be home for me,” he said.