Stormers move to make Maart stay

Dylan Maart’s rapid rise in Cape Town may soon be locked in for the long haul.

The Stormers are in active discussions with Griquas to convert the explosive winger’s loan move into a permanent deal, with head coach John Dobson confirming that all parties are aligned on keeping Maart in the blue and white.

Maart has wasted no time announcing himself since stepping up from the Currie Cup, carrying his impact seamlessly into the Vodacom URC and Investec Champions Cup. He was again on the scoresheet in Saturday’s win over the Lions at Cape Town Stadium, underlining his growing importance to the Stormers’ backline.

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Dobson said talks with Griquas are already under way.

“We’re busy chatting to them about converting him,” Dobson said. “He wants to stay, I think the people want him to stay and Griquas are open to it. So we’ll do the conversion.”

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While the Stormers are traditionally blessed with wing options, Dobson admitted Maart’s emergence has come at the right time for a squad searching for consistent edge out wide.

“It’s weird that a region like ours where we usually have wings falling off trees but we don’t really have that at the moment,” Dobson said. “It’s not unique to us, but it’s odd. Dylan’s important to us.”

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Beyond his on-field contribution, Dobson believes Maart’s story and character have made him a natural fit in the environment.

“He’s a great guy, great story, great individual.”

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Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images