In the same week that it was confirmed that the 2025 World Rugby Junior Player of the year Haashim Pead will be returning to the Cape, the DHL Stormers have confirmed a six month loan deal for experienced Seattle Seawolves scrumhalf Andre Warner.
The former Lions scrumhalf has been training with the Stormers squad in the pre-season due to the hole that was opened up by the injury to Imad Khan that will keep him out until March and the retirement of Dewaldt Duvenage, who has joined the Stormers’ coaching staff.
Warner, now 32, played for the Stormers in a pre-season friendly against the Vodacom Bulls in Paarl and impressed enough for Stormers director of rugby John Dobson to ask about him continuing on a temporary basis.
Thus a six month loan deal that will run until February, just before Khan is due to return to the field, was concluded, something that was facilitated by the twinning partnership between the Stormers and Seawolves, who came to Cape Town last season to play a friendly against the Stormers XXIII and participated in joint training sessions with the Cape club.
Warner, who was at school at the institution that produced South Africa’s most capped test player, Eben Etzebeth, brings significant experience, having played for two South African clubs and French team Stade Francais before heading to America earlier this year.
Dobson said the deal that has been struck shows the value of the partnership with the Seattle team.
“It is fantastic to have this kind of relationship with the Seawolves, and I know they gained a lot from their visit here, beyond just the 80 minutes at DHL Stadium,” said Dobson.
“It was really valuable for us to have them here, both to prepare the DHL Stormers XXIII ahead of the SA Rugby Under-23 Cup and to strengthen the connection between the two clubs. I’d like to thank their head coach Allen Clarke and everyone involved there for being open to this deal to have a player like Andre join us for the next six months.”
Dobson said that Warner will add immense value, with the 26/27 season kicking off this week.
“Andre has been really impressive since joining up with us in pre-season. He has been a consistent performer for many years, and you can see why in the professionalism he brings. We have had some injuries at scrumhalf, so to be able to bring a player like Andre in is hugely helpful.
“He showed his worth in our pre-season match in Paarl and will also be able to help develop some of the exciting young players in our system as well.”
Clarke said that everyone at the Seawolves will follow Warner’s progress at the Stormers with interest.
“We’re genuinely excited for Andre. He’s been a huge part of the Seawolves and is someone who means a great deal to our club, both as a player and as a person,” said Clarke.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for him and another positive step in our partnership with the DHL Stormers. It gives Andre the chance to keep playing at a high level during our off-season, challenge himself in a great rugby environment, and continue to grow his game.”
The addition of Warner, coupled with that of Pead earlier in the week, swells the number of players in the Stormers’ URC squad from 56 to 58 ahead of Friday night’s kick off against Connacht in Galway.