Cheslin Kolbe set for Stormers return after Tokyo Sungoliath buyout deal

Cheslin Kolbe is set to return to the Stormers from July 1 after a deal was struck to buy the 32-year-old out of his contract with Japan League One side Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, according to Afrikaans publication Rapport.

Kolbe had only recently extended his deal with the Sungoliath through the end of the 2026-27 season, making the reported move a complicated and expensive piece of business. The deal is understood to have been made possible through the combined efforts of the Stormers, Roc Nation Sports, and a third-party international sports betting company believed to be SportyBet. The Cape Town franchise is also reportedly drawing on assistance from SA Rugby through its Players of National Interest funding structure. “It’s definitely very, very close,” a reliable source told Rapport.

The move forms part of the Stormers’ long-term Project 2029 strategy. Director of rugby John Dobson has stated publicly in recent months that he views Kolbe as central to the franchise’s future, with the club working to retain and attract high-level South African talent.

Kolbe’s arrival would be the third high-profile Springbok to link up with the Stormers ahead of the 2026-27 season, following captain Siya Kolisi from the Sharks and tighthead prop Wilco Louw from the Bulls. His return would significantly bolster the Stormers’ backline, where Leolin Zas and Suleiman Hartzenberg have been the preferred wings during the current campaign.

Kolbe began his professional career with Western Province in 2012 before making his Stormers debut the following year. He departed for Toulouse in 2017, where he established himself as one of European rugby’s most dangerous attacking players, before moving to Toulon in 2021. He joined Suntory Sungoliath after helping South Africa defend the Rugby World Cup in France in 2023.

Still performing at a high level in Japan, Kolbe contributed 20 points in Suntory Sungoliath’s 40-35 Japan Rugby League One quarterfinal win over BlackRams Tokyo.