Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson anticipates a significant contribution from recent acquisition Vernon Paulo. The 24-year-old front-rower joined the Cape Town-based club from the Cheetahs in February and has already begun training with the team as they prepare for an upcoming derby match against the Lions.
Vernon Paulo’s Potential Impact on the Stormers
Dobson revealed the Stormers have been tracking Paulo’s progress “for a long time,” and he now has the opportunity to establish himself with the team. Competition for playing time will be fierce, as the Stormers currently have Andre-Hugo Venter, JJ Kotze, and Lukhanyo Vokozela in the front row.
However, with 35-year-old Scarra Ntubeni potentially nearing retirement, Paulo’s signing could prove to be well-timed. Dobson noted the team’s interest in Paulo dates back to his school days at Oakdale.
“Vernon has shown a lot of promise since school at Oakdale. We were close at one stage to contracting and developing him in partnership with Griquas, but he decided to go to the Cheetahs,” Dobson told Netwerk24.
Dobson highlighted Paulo’s strengths, stating, “What we really like about him is his ability as a ball-carrier, his physical presence, scrummaging and competitive nature. In those respects he reminds one of Joseph Dweba. His lineout throwing and conditioning will need a bit of refinement, but he shows a lot of promise.”
Paulo has developed a reputation for accurate throwing and explosiveness in open play, skills that will be further developed within the Stormers’ high-performance program.
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