Springbok forward ‘unlikely’ to re-join Stormers, Bulls swoop for Aphiwe Dyantyi

sharks-springboks-Sikhumbuzo-Notshe-and-Aphiwe-dyantyi

The Bulls looks set to sign Springboks winger Aphiwe Dyantyi from the Sharks while John Dobson states that Sikhumbuzo Notshe is unlikely to return to the Stormers.

Following the conclusion of the Sharks 2023/24 season, several players bid farewell to the side at the end-of-season awards evening.

Springboks leaving the Sharks

Amongst those confirmed departees were Springboks Dyantyi, Notshe and Curwin Bosch who all be leaving the Durban-based side before the start of next season.

Bosch has been unveiled as Brive’s latest signing with the two-Test Springbok joining England and Northampton Saints legend Courtney Lawes at the club.

Meanwhile, rumours of where his fellow Sharks teammates will be off to have been swirling in recent days, with Notshe being linked with a return to Cape Town to re-join Western Province and the Stormers, who he represented between 2013 and 2019 before signing for the Sharks.

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However, Stormers boss Dobson said that it is ‘unlikely’ that he will return to Cape Town due to the depth they have in the back-rower despite the pending departure of Hacjivah Dayimani to Racing 92.

“My big hope with Notshe is that he gets a nice gig, where he progresses his career and gets back to where he was. I’m not sure that’s going to be here,” Dobson told reporters ahead of the Stormers’ quarter-final.

“We’ve had chats, but nothing formal about the Stormers. It is fluid. I was hoping his contract would be extended by the Sharks. I genuinely just want Notshe to be ok.”

He added: “As much as I would love him back here, because of how much I like him personally, I must do what’s right for his career. The timing might not be quite right.

“This season, we’ve probably been overstocked at loose forward, so some guys didn’t get the game time they wanted…We actually need to be a bit thinner there. So it’s unlikely.”

Notshe has struggled with injuries throughout the season and fell out of favour with head coach John Plumtree who is seemingly making drastic changes to the squad ahead of his second season back in charge.

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More departures

As for Dyantyi, he looks set to link up with the Bulls if reports are to be believed, with Jake White swooping to snap up the speedster ahead of the Currie Cup campaign.

The Springbok winger joined the Sharks having completed his four-year doping ban but has been underwhelming, failing to score a single try in his nine appearances and seven starts for the Durbanites.

Dyantyi had signed a two-year deal with the Sharks but will leave after just one as the 2018 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year returns to Gauteng.

Anthony Volmink, Lionel Cronje, Werner Kok, Le Roux Roets, Bosch, Dyantyi, Murray Koster, Boeta Chamberlain, Notshe, Dan Jooste, and Zee Mkhabela were all part of the Sharks’ departing players list at the awards evening on Monday.

The Sharks have already announced the signings of Trevor Nyakane, Jason Jenkins, Emmanuel Tshituka, Jordan Hendrikse and Andre Esterhuzien ahead of the 2024/25 season.