France-based South African back-rower set to answer Stormers SOS

Hacjivah Dayimani will fly to Cape Town tonight to reunite with the Stormers after boss John Dobson sent an emergency SOS to bolster his injury-hit squad.

Jeppe High School for Boys educated Dayimani, 28, who stands at 6’2 (1.88m) and weighs 16st 10lb (107kg), is returning home after ripping up his Racing 92 contract after scoring three tries in 19 games.

Dayimani, who had started his career with the Bulls, had decided not to renew his contract with Racing and will return to the Stormers, whom he left two years ago to move to the French capital.

He will rejoin the Stormers on a five-month contract until the end of the season after locks Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden both had operations on injuries that will keep them on the sidelines for an extended period.

Dobson, who had only been left with Adré Smith, JD Schickerling and Connor Evans, is now expected to move Ben-Jason Dixon into the second row with Dayimani covering at openside flanker instead of recruiting another lock.

A key part of the Stormers 2022 United Rugby Championship-winning campaign, he will also cover Evan Roos at the back of the scrum with Ruan Ackermann ruled out with a long-term injury.

Dayimani’s return from France could only be short-lived, however. A handful of Top 14 sides have shown interest in signing him, while he has also received interest from Japan Rugby League One clubs.

He is likely to play his 58th game for the Stormers when they travel to Ellis Park to face the Lions, bidding to close the eight-point gap on United Rugby Championship leaders Glasgow Warriors, who they entertain in April.

The Stormers, third in the table with 36 points, are four points behind second-placed Leinster, and are keen to get back on track after suffering back-to-back defeats in their double header with the Sharks before the mid-season break.