Exclusive: Kolisi Return and De Jongh Warning Set Scene for Stormers–Sharks Clash

The Stormers will be out for redemption when they face the Sharks in their return leg URC clash, according to former Stormers captain and Springbok centre Juan de Jongh.

The East Coast side claimed bragging rights last weekend after staging an upset victory over an unbeaten Stormers outfit at a sold-out DHL Stadium. Despite the disappointment for the Cape side, De Jongh believes the loss may serve as a timely wake-up call.

“Firstly, you have to give credit to the Cape Town fanbase for coming out in their numbers for a sold-out fixture,” De Jongh told SportsBoom.co.za. 

“There were some massive match-ups, Springbok scrumhalves Cobus Reinach and Jaden Hendrikse going head-to-head, and flyhalves Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Jordan Hendrikse testing each other.”

De Jongh also praised Sharks head coach JP Pietersen for his tactical nous on the day.

“JP has done a great job since taking over. A lot of people were expecting a dominant Stormers performance, but he made a smart call by strengthening his bench with a ‘bomb squad’. That helped the Sharks take a slight lead into halftime,” he explained.

According to De Jongh, the Sharks’ resurgence is no fluke.

“You can see the fight in this rejuvenated Sharks side. People have been writing them off, and their position on the URC log hasn’t helped. The Stormers weren’t at their best, but credit to the Sharks, they won key battles.”

He added that set-piece struggles proved costly for the home side. 

“The Stormers battled with their lineouts, scrums, and some of their attacking moments.”

Captaincy Under the Microscope

The Stormers’ captaincy situation has also been a talking point, with several leaders rotated due to injury and rest. Young flyhalf Feinberg-Mngomezulu recently took on the role but has endured a mixed run, conceding a yellow card and showing a dip in form across two outings.

De Jongh believes the situation is a double-edged sword.

“There are two ways to look at it. It’s great to see him given leadership responsibility early in his career, he’s done it before with junior sides. But he’s a high-risk player, and with risk comes errors,” he said.

“When a leader makes errors, it can be difficult for the team to fully buy into what’s being implemented. It will challenge him, but he’s maturing with every game.”

Drawing from his own captaincy experience, De Jongh stressed the importance of consistency.

“The most important thing as a captain is form. You also have extra responsibilities, decision-making, whether to kick for poles or touch. Hopefully the coaches and senior players keep him calm and focused on the basics.”

He added that leadership depth within the squad remains strong. 

“Guys like Salmaan Moerat, Neethling Fouché, and others are leaders. It doesn’t really matter who wears the armband.”

JP Pietersen’s Impact at the Sharks

Since Pietersen replaced John Plumtree, the Sharks have shown a noticeable shift in momentum, climbing the URC ladder with several key wins.

“It’s brilliant to see JP stepping into this role,” De Jongh said. 

“He’s done his time with the academy, U19s, and U21s. Players know him, and guys like Siya Kolisi have played alongside him at Springbok level. There’s a lot of respect.”

“There’s clearly a fresh environment and renewed energy. You can see it even from the outside, the videos on YouTube and Instagram. Once you have the change room on your side, you can only move forward. What you don’t want is lose the change room as we’ve seen with the All Blacks and at the Bulls [recently]."

Revenge on the Cards?

Despite the setback, De Jongh expects a fierce Stormers response.

“It won’t be easy for the Sharks this time. They came with massive hunger to topple the top team. The Stormers will fix things like their lineouts and scrums.”

“I think this match will be decided in the final five minutes, and because of the context, I believe the Stormers will edge it. They’ll be hungry.”

Kolisi’s Homecoming

Adding further intrigue is the return of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi to the Stormers setup.

“Siya will be a massive asset,” De Jongh said. 

“Dobbo talks about making Cape Town smile and ‘Project 2029’. With Siya coming back, that experience will be huge, both on and off the field.”

“He’s done so much for the country, and his presence alone will grow the Stormers brand. His family is in Cape Town, and hopefully he’ll be happy here. Even though he’s on the older side, his leadership and influence will be massive.”

As the Stormers prepare for their rematch, one thing is clear: the response will be measured not only in tactics, but in hunger, pride, and belief.