September 20, 13:00IOL

Hashim Piad moves to Stormers after transfer dispute with Lions

After a week of uncertainty regarding his future, young number 9 Hashim Piad is set to join the Stormers for the 2026/27 URC and Champions Cup season. What began as a battle between the Lions and Stormers for the services of one of South Africa's most promising young scrum-halves now appears to lead to a return to Cape Town.

The 21-year-old junior national star from South Africa is ready to join the Stormers in the new United Rugby Championship (URC) shortly after the Cape Town team secured his services on a long-term contract. His next career chapter, which began in Cape Town where his playing career started, will now be written where the Stormers have long wanted to see this bright number 9 in their jersey.

Prior to the move, the Lions attempted to retain the talented scrum-half despite having some of the best number 9s at the franchise level in the country.

Lions sought to keep Piad

Despite promises of more game time in the new URC season, Piad would still have had to play behind Morne van den Berg and Nico Stein, and the Lions also have young players like Asad Mus and Layton Horne who could feature.

On Thursday, the Cape Town team was reportedly preparing to walk away from the deal with the Lions, as they apparently demanded too much for Piad's release. He still held a two-year contract with the Johannesburg club, valid until 2028. On Friday, Lions head coach Ivan van Ruyen stated that they still see Piad in their plans.

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iol.co.zaSeptember 21, 14:40

Lions officially confirm the move of rising star Hashim Pead to the Stormers squad

The Lions team has officially announced the departure of promising scrum-half Hashim Pead ahead of the new United Rugby Championship (URC) season. He will move from the Johannesburg franchise to the Stormers in Cape Town.

UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

Pead, 21, began his professional career with the Lions in 2024 and quickly made significant progress. He has decided to continue his journey in the Western Cape, where he previously studied at Bishops and played school rugby.

Pead has established himself as one of the outstanding young talents at Ellis Park. He debuted in the starting lineup of the national Currie Cup against the Bulls, and later made his international debut in the Challenge Cup against the Newcastle Red Bulls.

In 2025, his achievements were recognized with the Lions 'Young Player of the Year' award, acknowledging his impressive play and development within the franchise. During that period, he was also part of the victorious Junior Springboks, who won the World Rugby U20 World Cup last year.

Pead's form attracted national attention, leading to an invitation to the Springbok national team training camp under the guidance of Rassie Erasmus for the 2025/26 season. Furthermore, he participated in the South Africa A match against Zimbabwe earlier this year.

The transfer to the Stormers marks another important stage in the career of the talented number 9. He will now return to Cape Town to continue developing with the team that became the first URC winner. This transfer nearly fell through last week because the Lions demanded a large severance fee, even though Pead had two years left on his contract.

Lions Rugby Company CEO Rudolf Strähli thanked Pead for his contribution to the franchise and wished him success in the next chapter of his career. He noted: 'Hashim has been a dedicated and exceptional talent since the start of his professional career with us in 2024. Although we are sad to see him leave Johannesburg, we respect his decision to take on a new challenge at the Stormers.'

He added: 'We thank him for his service to the Lions and wish him success in the next chapter of his career.'

Pead's departure leaves the Lions without one of their promising young scrum-halves. However, the franchise can choose from players such as Springbok Morné van den Berg, Nico Steyn, Asad Moos, and Layton Horn. Pead's arrival, nevertheless, will add depth to the Stormers' scrum-half reserves, where he will develop alongside players like Bok star Cobus Reinach, Stefan Ungerer, Imad Khan, and Ezekiel Ngobeni.

iol.co.zaSeptember 19, 20:23

Hashim Piad may move to the Stormers after Lions coach Ivan van Rensburg's statement

Young scrumhalf Hashim Piad is preparing to return to the Stormers squad. Although a week is considered a long period in rugby, a couple of days can sometimes feel like an eternity.

On Thursday, Lions coach Ivan van Rensburg positively commented on Hashim Piad's future at Ellis Park, expressing satisfaction that the talented scrumhalf remains with the Lions and will receive more game time as part of his development within the Springbok setup.

It seems the dispute between the Lions and the Stormers has been resolved, and Piad will remain in Johannesburg. However, just two days later, the publication News24 reported that the 21-year-old player is packing his bags and heading back to his hometown of Bo-Kaap, as a move to the Stormers appears highly likely.

Piad, a graduate of Bishops in Cape Town, joined the Lions in early 2025 after being unable to secure a contract with the Stormers. According to reports, he will join the Stormers after their upcoming European tour to begin the campaign in the United Rugby Championship.

If this transfer materializes, Piad could debut for the Stormers against the Sharks in Cape Town in the third round of the URC. This would be a sharp reversal from Van Rensburg's comments made just 48 hours earlier.

Piad's significant potential was noted last year by American sports marketing giants Roc Nation, who included him in a roster that also features Springbok captain Siya Kolisi. He was one of the standout performers for the Junior Springboks at the U20 Rugby World Cup in Italy in 2025 and subsequently earned the title of Player of the Year among the Junior Springboks.

Nevertheless, within the Lions, Piad found himself behind Morne van den Berg and Nico Stein in the queue for the Springbok scrumhalf position. In the Stormers, Kobus Reinah serves as the number one scrumhalf, but there is a vacancy due to Imad Khan's serious knee injury. The Stormers will begin their URC campaign away against Connacht, followed by a home game against Edinburgh on October 2nd. The Lions will open their campaign at Ellis Park on September 26th, hosting defending champions Leinster.