John Dobson has been candid about the different rationales behind the Stormers' two headline signings. Kolbe is a genuine Project 2029 asset — he'll be part of the squad through the five-year window. Kolisi is a different case: Dobson openly acknowledges the project timeline likely runs beyond Kolisi's playing days, but frames the signing as a debt of gratitude — a player who has earned the right to end his career on his own terms, and who has made significant financial concessions to make it workable. Crucially, neither deal is stretching the Stormers' budget, with Dobson insisting both players have taken meaningful pay cuts to return to the Cape.
Beyond the individual justifications, Dobson maps out a broader recruitment philosophy that Springbok fans at every franchise should pay attention to. The Stormers are deliberately keeping their Bok contingent smaller than the Bulls or Sharks, conscious of how internationals-heavy squads suffer when Test windows bite. The Brok Harris/Deon Fourie blueprint — experienced heads accelerating young talent — underpins the thinking, but Dobson is firm that Kolbe and Kolisi represent the ceiling, not a new spending pattern. The rest of the project is built on retention and homegrown development.