Springboks captain courted by French side who face stiff competition from Premiership clubs
The Stormers are facing stiff competition to retain the services of their Springboks lock.
Springboks captain and Stormers lock Salmaan Moerat is attracting interest from several northern hemisphere clubs, according to reports.
Moerat’s contract with the Stormers expires at the end of the season and while the Cape Town-based side are well placed to retain his services, they are facing fierce competition from French and English clubs.
Moerat on the market
Reports a fortnight ago from South Africa stated that ‘more than one Premiership club’ was eager to secure his services ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Rapport stated that the Stormers would be tabling their offer to the lock, who skippered the Springboks for the first time against Portugal last year, over the next few weeks.
The Capetonians are in a strong position to offer him a competitive deal as he is understood to be a player who benefits from the PONI (Player of National Interest) contracts which means that SA Rugby supplement his salary.
However, not only will the Stormers have to deal with Premiership interest but Top 14 suitors too with Midi Olympique reporting that Bayonne have entered the race for his signature.
The French club have already done shopping in Cape Town after signing Springboks scrum-half Herschel Jantjies ahead of next season and now turn their sights on his teammate.
The report adds that while Bayonne are not short on locks for next season with only Denis Marchois set to depart, the ambitious club are keen to build on their current stocks which include Veikoso Poloniati, Arthur Iturria, Alex Moon and Lucas Paulos.
Stormers lock loaned
Meanwhile, Joseph Dweba’s future at the Stormers is also up in the air with his contract also expiring but the hooker’s case is more complex as he is reportedly no longer regarded as a PONI player having slipped down the Bok pecking order.
The Stormers did receive a boost earlier this week with experienced tighthead prop Neethling Fouché penning a three-year deal with the club after rejecting the advances of overseas clubs.
But John Dobson’s stocks did take a blow for with second-rower Adre Smith joining Japanese club Toyota Verblitz on a loan deal.
Smith signed a three-year extension with the Stormers in September last year and now takes up the opportunity to join Sir Steve Hansen’s squad which was a benefit of his new deal.
The lock has been a regular fixture on the Stormers’ bench this season and could return in the latter part of their campaign.
Meanwhile, it is also reported that Ben Loader will leave the Stormers to return to England with the back reportedly signing for Gloucester.
