By Ashfak Mohamed
Bryan Habana is likely to play for the Stormers in 2010.
The Springbok wing is about to sign a two-year contract for Western Province and the Stormers and is set to join them from 2010.
Western Province Rugby chairman Patty Kuhn told The Star last night that the deal to secure Habana "is looking very good" at this stage.
"We have offered Bryan a two-year contract," he said. "At the moment, the ball is in Bryan's court. There are still some small things to finalise in the contract but it is looking very good.
"Obviously Bryan will leave for the Springboks on tour to Australia for the Tri-Nations games so we did not want to take his focus off that - but we hope that he can sign before he leaves," Kuhn said.
The Boks will play the Wallabies in a vital Tri-Nations clash on Saturday.
The Boks are unbeaten in the competition this season and a victory on Saturday will put them in a strong position to win their third title.
Kuhn said a player of Habana's calibre would be a big boost for WP and the Stormers.
"It will be good for the province to have a player like Bryan Habana in the side," he said.
"He is a world-class wing and we need one or two players like that. Cape Town and the team needs a player like him."
Kuhn added that the Stormers would also want to produce a better showing in the 2010 Super 14 next year and that was why Habana had been approached.
The Stormers ended in 10th position in 2009 after just failing to reach the semi-finals in 2008, ending fifth on the log.