Decision on Frans Malherbe's future to drag into 2027, says Stormers boss

The two-time Rugby World Cup winner was a notable omission from the Stormers' 56-man 2026/27 squad announcement on Thursday. Malherbe last played in March 2025 but has been on the sidelines ever since, suffering from chronic neck and back issues after years of scrumming opponents into the ground.

While the much-feared scrummager has been training in Cape Town for much of the year, he is clearly not ready for the rigours of professional rugby. The franchise made a move to cover for Malherbe when they signed Wilco Louw from the Bulls.

Speaking to the press after the announcement of the Stormers' squad, Dobson revealed that a cloud still surrounds Malherbe.

"I don't think he has made a decision," he told the press.

"My guess, and this may be just a John Dobson guess, is that it's going to drag into the new year.

"He's training a lot here, but he's certainly not going to play for us in the foreseeable future, so we needed to get somebody in to replace him, and there's still a big question mark on him."

"What I hear is that there could be a decision made in January. That will determine whether he can make the 2027 World Cup, and then maybe there's a request that he plays a game or two, which we will accommodate.

"There's no firm decision yet, but he's certainly not playing for us in the foreseeable future."

As for the Boks, Malherbe last featured in the green and gold in September 2024 during the Rugby Championship-winning result against Argentina in Mbombela.