Wolhuter ready to take his shot for Stormers

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Fit-again flyhalf Kade Wolhuter has been entrusted with calling the shots for the DHL Stormers in the clash with the Scarlets on Friday night.

Wolhuter, who two years ago was tipped as a bright prospect, has been biding his time for the chance to again don the No 10 jersey.

He was 19 when he made his debut for the Cape side in Super Rugby Unlocked and impressed, only for a serious knee injury to interrupt his progress and rule him out of rugby for the better part of a year.

A product of the Western Province Rugby junior system, and having grown up in the region, Wolhuter signed a two-year contract extension in July.

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The talented playmaker has made a slow return to the main stage for the Stormers as the brains trust see the value in taking the long-term view to his recovery. In his absence, fellow rising star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu assumed the role of understudy to first-choice pivot Manie Libbok.

With Libbok on Springbok duty and Feinberg-Mngomezulu ruled out due to injury, the 21-year-old can now focus on getting some consistent game time under his belt and show what he is capable of in a Stormers jersey when Scarlets visit Cape Town Stadium on Friday,

“The last year has been a frustrating one injury-wise for me, but I am determined to repay the faith that has been shown in me by stepping up for the team over the next two years,” Wolhuter said.

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He attended Paul Roos Gymnasium and represented the WP U18 Craven Week team for two years before a short stint with French side Montpellier, only to return to the Cape in 2020.

“I received offers from other unions that I considered before making the decision to stay in the Cape and play for WP,” Wolhuter said.

“I felt that I could grow the most at WP for a number of reasons, a few being that I’m close to my family and in an environment that I feel I can really develop into a world-class player because I’ll receive the coaching and opportunities to elevate my game.”

Wolhuter is solid and dependable with the boot, both off the tee and out of hand, and he’s more than capable of facilitating the attacking brand of rugby that the Stormers thrive on.

“It’s great to not only have Sacha, but also see Kade Wolhuter playing well,” said Stormers attack coach Dawie Snyman. “In terms of that position, the future’s looking bright for us.”

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Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

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Devin Hermanus