Hollywoodbets Sharks have been dealt another blow after the DHL Stormers confirmed that lock Corné Rahl will join the Cape Town-based side at the end of the current season in July 2027.
The powerful 24-year-old hails from Montagu in the Western Cape and attended Oakdale, where he was a year ahead of his future teammate Paul de Villiers.
Standing at 2.03 metres tall and weighing 122 kilograms, Rahl brings physicality and intensity to his game.
He is expected to bolster the Stormers’ second-row depth when he makes the move to Cape Town.
Director of Rugby John Dobson believes Rahl is an ideal fit for the squad’s needs.
“Corné is a player who has shown he can stand up to the best in the game, and at 24, he has his best years ahead of him. It is important for our players to understand the region and what rugby means here, and as a product of Oakdale, he certainly fits the bill in that regard.
“He’s a big man who has shown an impressive work rate, and we are looking forward to seeing how he develops his game once he joins us here.
“With Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden both having moved to France at the end of last season, we wanted to invest in a player who has real long-term potential, and we have that in Corné,” Dobson said.
Dobson targeted Rahl to offset the European departures of Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden at the end of last season, providing strategic rationale for why the Stormers invested early in a 2027 pre-contract.
Rahl, meanwhile, expressed his excitement about joining the Stormers at the end of the season.
“Right now, I am obviously focused on performing for my current team before I make the move to Cape Town next year. I am glad that my future is secure, and with this announcement done, I can focus on playing rugby.
“There is no doubt that the DHL Stormers are building something special, and I am also looking forward to being a part of that once I join next season,” he said.
Rahl becomes the latest player to move from the Sharks to the Stormers, following the recent acquisitions of Siya Kolisi and Ntuthuko Mchunu.
