South African International Rejoins
Storm

It has been confirmed this week that South London Storm player of the year for 2004 Louis Neethling has sensationally rejoined South London Storm turning down an offer to sign for London Skolars.

Louis has spent the South London off-season training with Skolars and was offered a contract to play for them for the 2005 season but instead decided to stay with the Storm, who will be attempting to launch a serious challenge for the RLC Premier division title in May.

On the decision Storms New Head Coach Rob Powell had this to say, "The fact that Louis has decided to stay at the club has thoroughly vindicated the decision to step into the RLC Premier Division. The team had a lot of travelling to do last year which puts a strain on players and staff and this would only have been worse with the Skolars.

"Louis has taken a brave decisions to play another season with us which we believe is paralleled by our own decision to play RLC and we are pleased that the decision was supported by Louis and other players so strongly. He is a great asset not only on the field but off it to with the work he will be putting in to the backroom and his influence on young players. We are pleased that he feels South London can offer him what he wants and needs from a Rugby Club and we are hoping that we can develop him on even more as a player as he helps to further develop the club."

Louis started his Rugby League career with South London Storm last year and made his debut in the RLC Cup against Greenwich. From then on he has never looked back in Rugby League. He has gone from his first game early on to being one of the hottest props in London. Top Try Scorer and Points scorer from Prop for Storm and player of the year he would have been a hard person to replace by the club. And now he looks to take the RLC Premier Division ironically by Storm.

On his decision to come back Louis commented, "Souths have been great to me and I loved my time here last year. For me the thought of playing with the likes of Chikka (stand off John Fergusson) and Carlos (centre Carl Zacharow) for another year has been a big attraction."

And on the Premier Division he said "It's a great division with some brilliant teams in it. Storm took a brave decision to step into this league and with my many friends at the club I want to help it to build on this decision and to try and win the regional title and then go all the way. National League 3 was a great challenge and I so not expect this to be any less."