Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton has been included in the Stormers squad for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship which kicks off next month.

Norton made his senior debut for Western Province on Saturday, starting at flank against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. But that was seemingly enough for head coach and director of rugby John Dobson to name him in the 55-player squad for the new season.

ALSO: Stormers target Bok hooker

Another Junior Bok Kyle Smith – who had to play second fiddle to the Sharks’ Vusi Moyo at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy – has also made the squad.

The squad also contains club players like lock Alex Groves and utility back Jared Africa who’ve done well in a losing cause for Western Province in the Currie Cup.

The group is headlined by Springboks Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Ben-Jason Dixon, Neethling Fouche, Warrick Gelant, Courtnall Skosan, Frans Malherbe, Andre-Hugo Venter, Scarra Ntubeni and Deon Fourie, while new signings Cobus Reinach, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Ruan Ackermann bolster the ranks.

The inaugural URC champions had an inconsistent 2024-2025 campaign, where they had a disappointing away leg of the competition, but stormed into the quarter finals thanks to a strong run at home, only to fall well-short against the then-defending champions Glasgow Warriors in Scotland.

The Stormers start their campaign with a tough clash against defending champions Leinster at the Cape Town Stadium on 26 September.

The DHL Stormers squad that will be representing you in the 25/26 season. #inittogether pic.twitter.com/HG76VvI9z5

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) August 21, 2025

Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images