The Stormers have ended their pursuit of Argentina lock Tomás Lavanini.
The Cape club had targeted the 33-year-old to help fill the gap left by France-bound duo Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden.
Director of rugby John Dobson told Netwerk24 that Lavanini’s contract demands proved too steep.
“We would rather put our faith in the local guys like Connor Evans, [Junior Boks captain] Riley Norton and Gary Porter, who are full-blooded Stormers,” he added.
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The decision comes at a challenging time for the Stormers, as back-up lock Alex Groves recently departed for Wales.
The Stormers have moved to bolster their depth by signing former Western Province U21 captain Dylan de Leeuw on a one-year deal. The 24-year-old returns to Cape Town after spells with Zebre, the Bulls, Lions and SWD Eagles.
Despite the confidence shown in the province’s young locks, the Stormers may still enter the market for an experienced second rower before the start of the 2026-27 season.
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The Stormers will also look to bolster their wing options, despite the return of Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe.
They were forced to use Springbok fullback Damian Willemse on the wing at times during the season due to lack of depth.
Photo: Johan Orton/Gallo Images
