Stormers secure star scrummie

In a spectacular U-turn, the Stormers have agreed a deal with the Lions for scrumhalf Haashim Pead.

News24 reports that an agreement has been reached after weeks of speculation around the 21-year-old’s future, although details, including the contract length, remain unclear.

The report claims the transfer fee paid for Pead was “reasonable”, with a third party assisting the Stormers in the deal.

Pead is set to join the Stormers after their two-match European tour to start the URC season and could make his debut against the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium on 10 October.

That would represent a remarkable turnaround after the move appeared to have stalled.

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Pead emerged as one of South Africa’s brightest young scrumhalves after starring for the Junior Boks at last year’s Junior World Championship, where he scored six tries as they won the title.

The Cape Town-born youngster attended Bishops and has strong roots in the Bo-Kaap, making a return to the Stormers a particularly attractive prospect.

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The move would also potentially give Pead greater access to regular URC game time.

At the Lions, he faced competition from Springbok Morné van den Berg and Nico Steyn. The Stormers have veteran Bok Cobus Reinach as their first-choice scrumhalf, but Imad Khan is sidelined with a serious knee injury, leaving the Cape club looking for greater depth at No 9.

The Stormers begin their URC campaign against Connacht in Galway next Friday before facing Edinburgh at Scotstoun Stadium on 2 October.

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