#Goldenkey club series

On the number of occasions he was called on at inside centre, he saw success at the gainline and showed great aggression on defence.

#Goldenkey club series

In the Springboks series win against Wales Willemse was arguably the player of the tournament, starting at fullback. Where Willemse had begun to look lost between three positions, he has started to offer a unique impact in each. For both the Springboks and the Stormers that has finally happened, and heading into the end of the year he has proven one of the most valuable players in both teams, be it at 10,12 or 15.Īlso read: Dazzling Damian Willemse worth his pot of gold I felt a player reminiscent of a young Frans Steyn was fading into a system that he could not control and that equally did not support him.ĭobbo was adamant that in the right system, Willemse would thrive.

He did not own the number 10 jersey, nor did he convince at fullback. It is an incredible coup for the Stormers but it is such a celebration for both player and coach.Ī player of Willemse’s kind can be a victim of his own versatility, and playing for the Stormers at the beginning of 2021 it was starting to look as if that was the case. On Friday, the last day of September, Willemse signed with the Stormers for five years. If the Stormers were to fulfil their ambition of being the strongest rugby club int he world in the next three to five years, then Damian Willemse had to be at the forefront of this charge. If his budget allowed for more, back then, he’d have invested it in ensuring Willemse plays the best part of his career in Cape Town in the colours of the Stormers.ĭobbo told me that it was his responsibility as a coach to develop a style of rugby that complements every skill set of Willemse’s, to surround him with the type of player who also does so.ĭobbo’s contention was that Willemse was gold to the region because he was made from this region, loved this region and that the Stormers and Western Province rugby were in his DNA. I wrote as much.ĭobbo countered this view and refused to give an inch on the value of the player. I felt it was an inflated value for a player whose schoolboy potential wasn’t being maximised. A year ago there was a newspaper report of what Willemse was being paid.