Breyton Paulse and Schalk Burger are on the shortlist to become the first player inducted into SARugbymag’s Stormers Hall of Fame – make your pick!
Schalk Burger
The 2004 IRB Player of the Year and two-time SARU Player of the Year (2004, 2011), Schalk Burger is arguably one of the best flankers to have played the game. Burger made a massive 160 combined appearances for the Stormers and Western Province, dotting down 16 times along the way. He was known for his breathless workrate, fearless breakdown contribution, crunching hits and displayed stellar leadership skills, captaining Western Province to the 2010 Currie Cup final.
READ: Hall of Fame – Bulls edition
Jean de Villiers
The intercept king and captain extraordinaire, Jean de Villiers valiantly served the Stormers and Western Province throughout his career. Making a combined 155 appearances across two stints while crossing the whitewash 58 times, De Villiers used his speed, size and awareness to tear through the heart of defences. The 2008 and 2013 SA Rugby Player of the Year won three Currie Cup titles with Western Province and led the Stormers to the 2010 Super Rugby final.
MORE: Hall of Fame – Cheetahs edition
Robbie Fleck
Making a 104 appearances and scoring 30 tries for the Stormers and Western Province, Robbie Fleck’s impact as a player was undisputed. Under the guidance of school coach Basil Bey, Fleck transformed from a star at Bishops into one of the finest centres produced by Western Province. Quick feet and hands coupled with an incisive running style meant Fleck was lethal on attack, scorching defenders with his pace.
READ: Hall of Fame: Lions edition
Corne Krige
Another do-or-die flanker and hardman of South African rugby, ‘Captain Courageous’ Corne Krige played a 124 combined matches for the Stormers and Western Province. Known for his prolific workrate, monstrous tackles and fearless leadership, Krige made his debut for Province in 1996 and captained the side to back-to-back Currie Cup titles in 2000 and 2001. He was a nominee for SA Rugby Player of the Year in 2000 and won the Vodacom Rugby Super 12 Player of the Tournament in 2002.
Percy Montgomery
A left-footed kicking maestro, Percy Montgomery made 122 combined appearances for the Stormers and Western Cape, amassing an incredible 558 points while winning the Currie Cup on three occasions (1997, 2000 and 2001). Highly skilled with the boot and potent on attack, Monty could split the uprights, dominate territorial battles and make devastating runs from deep, while lending his versatility to any backline position in which he was selected.
ALSO: Hall of Fame: Sharks edition
Breyton Paulse
Never straying from the shores of the Cape, Breyton Paulse played all of his rugby at the Stormers and Western Province from 1996 to 2007. Racking up 137 appearances across his career, Paulse scored tries for fun, dotting down an astounding 99 times. The backflipping winger started his provincial career with a bang in 1996, scoring a hat-trick in his very first game for WP, before winning the Currie Cup trophy three times (1997, 2000 and 2001).
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