The Stormers’ search for Joseph Dweba’s replacement appears to be over, with the Cape side reportedly securing the services of a Bloemfontein-based powerhouse.
According to Rapport, the Stormers have lured Cheetahs hooker Vernon Paulo to Cape Town to bolster their stocks, and that he should arrive in the Mother city in January.
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The Stormers currently have Andre-Hugo Venter and JJ Kotze as their frontline rakes, but with the expectation being that Venter may spend some time with the Springboks as well, getting in another strong option was important.
Rapport also says Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe is no longer an option because he’s chosen to speak to the Sharks, Munster and Clermont about his future.
Paulo, 24, first caught the eye in the 2023 Varsity Cup where he was part of the victorious NWU-Pukke team. He scored 12 tries in that campaign. He also featured prominently for the Cheetahs in this year’s Currie Cup.
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