Stormers coach John Dobson on Thursday confirmed that they have managed to keep hold of the best player in world rugby, Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Thursday was transfer deadline day in South African rugby, with players given 21 days after it was announced that their wages would be cut - due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic - to decide whether they would leave their unions or not.
Naturally, rich European clubs were in hot pursuit of the current World Player of the Year, with France’s Montpellier reportedty offering lock-cum-flanker Du Toit a deal that would have made him the highest paid player in the world.
While the guys at Western Province will send out a list of players that have extended their contracts, Dobson confirmed to a local website that Du Toit has decided to stay in the Mother City where he has some unfinished business.
Dobson tells Sarugbymag: “I think it speaks volumes for him as a person, given what he could command [in wages] as World Player of the Year, to decide to stay in South Africa and with the Stormers.”
Meanwhile, Sport24 reports that the Stormers will lose versatile forward Cobus Wiese to Manchester-based English Premiership club Sale Sharks.
The Sharks is already home to South Africans Akker van der Merwe, Coenie Oostzhuizen, Lood de Jager, Jean-Luc, Dan and Robert du Preez, Jono Ross, Faf de Klerk and Rohan Janse van Rensburg.