Dewaldt Duvenage marks Stormers century with memories and mentorship

Veteran scrum-half Dewaldt Duvenage will join an illustrious list of Stormers legends when he runs out for his 100th appearance against the Ospreys in Cape Town on Friday night.

The 37-year-old will become just the 12th player to reach the century mark for the Cape side. Springbok Damian Willemse brought up his ton last season, while legends such as Jean de Villiers, Schalk Burger, Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi and Deon Fourie are also on that esteemed list.

Now in his third stint with the Stormers, Duvenage made his debut back in 2009. Between his first and 99th caps he spent several years playing in France and Italy, but he is set to finish his career where his professional rugby journey began.

“I feel really fortunate to be playing my 100th game for the Stormers. My love for the team … I can’t really compare my time in France and Italy with what I’ve experienced here,” said Duvenage.

“It’s always special pulling the jersey on for the first time. I scored a try on debut – I think it was against the Lions. Over my career there have been a lot of highlights, on and off the field. Sometimes, as a rugby player, you remember the off-the-field stuff even more. I won’t go too deep into that!”

Reflecting on his Stormers memories, Duvenage picked out the highs and lows of Super Rugby, with the 2010 final against the Bulls at Orlando Stadium in Soweto one of the bittersweet moments of his career.

“That was really special, and definitely a standout memory,” he recalled.

“Another one I’ll never forget was against the Blues at Eden Park in 2011. I wasn’t supposed to play that day, but a few injuries meant I had to step in at fly-half. I ended up kicking the winning conversion.

“But for me it wasn’t about the kick. It was about the half-time chat, when Schalla (Schalk Burger) silenced everyone – even the coaches – and explained exactly how we were going to win. And it happened just as he said. That was a real goosebumps moment.”

These days, Duvenage is passing on his vast experience to the next generation of Stormers scrum-halves. He has also spent time in the coaches’ box during the recent Currie Cup campaign.

“To have played as long as I have, I’ve always loved asking questions, watching rugby and learning – even from the younger guys, seeing how they view the game,” he said.

“I hope I can share some knowledge and help them along their journey. I like to give back to the younger players, especially now that I’m coaching as well.”