Ruhan Nel takes Stormers captaincy with one clear goal

For much of last season, the Stormers looked like genuine contenders for the United Rugby Championship title, Cape {town} Etc reports.

They spent almost the entire regular season near the top of the standings, building the kind of consistency that suggested another deep playoff run was on the cards. But when the biggest moment arrived, the Cape side came up short.

An 11-20 semifinal defeat to eventual champions Leinster ended their campaign and left the Stormers with a familiar feeling: they had done enough to put themselves in the conversation, but not enough to finish the job.

Now, they have handed the captaincy to Ruhan Nel.

The experienced centre has been appointed skipper for the 2026/27 season, placing him at the front of a Stormers side determined to go one step further this time around. Nel has been a key part of the Cape Town side for years, and the Stormers’ official profile lists winning the Vodacom URC among the biggest highlights of his career.

The appointment was confirmed at the Stormers’ new-season jersey launch, where Nel made it clear that the squad isn’t allowing last season’s disappointment to become a burden.

If anything, he sees it as motivation.

Looking back at the previous campaign, Nel pointed to just how remarkable the Stormers’ consistency had been. They had remained among the top two teams on the log for virtually the entire regular season, creating expectations that they could finally return to the final.

Instead, the semifinal proved how quickly a season can disappear.

Nel believes the lesson lies in those small moments.

A line-out decision, a missed opportunity, a mistake near the opposition try line — seemingly minor incidents that can suddenly determine whether a team is preparing for a final or heading home.

That is something the new captain wants the Stormers to address.

The side created plenty of opportunities last season but too often failed to turn pressure into points. Nel highlighted instances where the Stormers had worked their way deep into the opposition 22, only to come away empty-handed.

For a team chasing trophies, that margin can be decisive.

The challenge now is to become more clinical when those opportunities arrive.

And there is plenty for Nel and his teammates to be excited about.

The Stormers will begin their 2026/27 URC campaign away from home, travelling to face Connacht on September 25 before another difficult trip to Edinburgh on October 2. They will then return to DHL Stadium for their first home match of the campaign against the Sharks on October 10.

It is a demanding opening to a season in which the target is clear.

The Stormers last lifted the URC trophy in the 2021/22 season, when they became the competition’s inaugural champions. They also claimed the South African Shield in both 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Nel now wants the next chapter to end with another piece of silverware.

The Stormers captaincy is a significant responsibility, but Nel appears to be embracing it rather than hiding from the pressure.

He believes the standards within the squad are already high after what the team achieved last season, and the ambition is not simply to repeat that campaign.

It is to finish it properly.

The Stormers also had an opportunity to test themselves against the All Blacks during their recent meeting in Cape Town. Despite losing 21-38, the franchise showed enough in the scrum, set piece, defence and transition game to give Nel plenty of encouragement.

Those strengths have become part of the Stormers’ identity, and Nel believes they can provide the platform for another big season.

There is also something particularly fitting about Nel taking charge.

The 35-year-old has spent years wearing the Stormers jersey and has become one of the experienced figures in their backline. The club lists him as a centre and records 81 Stormers appearances on his current player profile.

Now he gets to lead them.

And the mission is not complicated.

After coming so close last season, the Stormers want to turn regular-season consistency into playoff success.

They want to avoid another campaign being decided by a handful of costly moments.

Most importantly, they want to bring the URC trophy back to Cape Town.

With Nel leading the way, the Stormers are ready to find out whether last season’s heartbreak can become the fuel for something much bigger.

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