With the Stormers’ trip to Gqeberha to play Toulon in the Investec Champions Cup on December 7 looming, the Cape side have announced dynamic loose forward Keke Morabe has signed a three-year contract extension.
This is the first time an Investec Champions Cup will be played in Gqeberha and a large crowd is expected to flock to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium for a rare top-level professional match in the metro.
Before their trip to the Bay, the Stormers have a crunch United Rugby Championship clash against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
Morabe, a powerful 23-year-old, has played a prominent role already this season, making a big impact on attack and defence from the back of the scrum.
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson said he was looking forward to seeing Morabe continue to develop and go from strength to strength within the Stormers’ environment in the coming years.
“Keke has been a long-term project here, he was identified as a standout talent and recruited straight out of school.
“We have seen him come through the ranks and establish himself in the senior squad,” he said.
“We have invested considerably in him and expect to see his stocks continue to rise in the years to come.
“He brings uncompromising physicality and intensity to everything he does on the pitch and has a fantastic attitude and desire to improve as a player.
“It was clear from a young age that Keke was a player worth backing and we are thrilled that he has shown the same commitment to this team.”
Morabe, now that his future is settled, wants to focus on making the most of the tools available to him within the Stormers system.
“I have already learnt so much since starting my professional career here and I’m grateful for the faith the coaches and my teammates have shown in me,” Morabe said.
“The challenge for me now is to make the most of my abilities and develop my game so that I can make a big contribution to this team.”
Having joined the Stormers fresh out of school, the former Welkom Gimnasium head boy and SA Schools star is starting to realise the potential he showed from a young age.
Morabe was named Western Province U21 Player of the Year in 2022 and graduated through the system, making his Stormers debut in a United Rugby Championship coastal derby against the Sharks in February 2023.
He joins a growing list of talented young players such as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg, JJ Kotze and Connor Evans, who have all recently committed themselves to long-term contracts with the DHL Stormers.
Tickets, between R60 and R300, have gone on sale for the Gqeberha clash and are expected to be snapped up.
NMB Stadium Special Projects executive Raaziq Poole said there was a buzz of excitement in Gqeberha around hosting another Stormers match.
Because of a clash with the HSBC Cape Town Sevens, which will take place at the DHL Stadium on the same weekend, the Stormers opted to kick off their Champions Cup campaign in Gqeberha.
Poole encouraged fans to buy tickets early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets are available from Webtickets online, Pick n Pay, Boxer Stores and the NMB stadium ticket office.
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