Stormers beef up forward stocks with Vernon Paulo signing

The powerful 24-year-old is a product of the Western Cape, having been born and raised in Riversdale and attending Oakdale Landbou.

He went on to star for the NWU Eagles, winning the Varsity Cup in 2023 before making his professional debut for the Cheetahs later that same year.

Director of Rugby John Dobson said that Paulo's clear natural abilities and his passion for the team made him an attractive prospect.

"Vernon has all the attributes to mix it with the best and we are confident that we can develop his game further in our system," Dobson told the Stormers website.

"He certainly has the drive to improve and compete in every area. On top of all that he is also incredibly passionate about playing for this team, having grown up as a supporter of ours and we know that he will be putting all he has into representing our fans with pride when he gets the opportunity."

Paulo said that he is determined to make the most of the move to Cape Town.

"This is a dream come true for me, but this is just the start," said the hooker.

"I am going to work hard to be at my absolute best for this team and contribute to the cause. My father is from Langa and I have supported this team my whole life, so this is a homecoming of sorts for me.

"I want to show what this means to me by the way I play and hopefully add to the success of the team."