Wandisile Simelane says the support of his Stormers teammates has made his transition from outside centre to fullback a smooth one.
The Cape side is in Wales, preparing for their first Vodacom URC tour clash against the Scarlets in Llanelli on Friday night.
The 27-year-old, who joined the Stormers from the Bulls during last season’s campaign, has been a revelation in the No 15 jersey – a position far removed from his natural home in the midfield.
His composure, creativity and ability to counter-attack have been key to the Stormers’ unbeaten start to the season, with back-to-back wins in Cape Town against defending champions Leinster and the Ospreys.
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Simelane credited the players around him and coaches for helping him settle into the role so quickly.
“My teammates have helped me a lot. Warrick [Gelant], Dan [du Plessis] and Ruan [Nel], our coaches – the amount of time and energy spent towards the team comes from a place of us all actually wanting to do well. It sounds very cliché, but when they picked me at 15, the guys around me made it so easy for me to just adapt,” said Simelane.
Ahead of the season-opener, head coach John Dobson praised Simelane’s attitude and willingness to put the team first.
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The Stormers face a tricky tour, starting with the Scarlets before meeting Zebre and Benetton in Italy – a demanding stretch that Simelane believes the squad is well prepared for.
“We’re not going to downplay the fact that starting well was important for us. But having said that, now that we’re going on tour, it’s almost like a new start,” he said.
“It’s important for us to reset and put the two wins behind us and try to accumulate as many points as possible on this tour.”
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Reflecting on the Ospreys game, in which the Welsh side scored two early tries, Simelane said the Stormers’ calm under pressure was a sign of their growing maturity.
“The mood and energy didn’t dip after those first two tries from the Ospreys. We expected that they were going to be tough and we had to keep smashing the wall until it breaks.”
Wandi you’re the one! Fans’ Man of the Match this week was Wandi Simelane. #inittogether pic.twitter.com/unjXNWZ2sc
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) October 6, 2025
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
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