Coetzee tells players he's leaving

Cape Town - Allister Coetzee reportedly told the Stormers players that he would be joining Japanese side Kobe Steelers after this year's Super Rugby competition.

According to the Cape Times, Coetzee addressed his players during a meeting at the High Performance Centre in Bellville on Monday where he revealed his future plans.

WP Rugby CEO Gert Smal is expected to make a formal announcement regarding the matter later on Tuesday.

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is now believed to be the frontrunner to replace Coetzee as Stormers coach in 2016, while John Dobson will become Western Province's Currie Cup coach.

Dobson is the current WP Vodacom Cup coach and he and his assistant, Dawie Snyman, are set to get the promotion to the Currie Cup later in the year.

It is also likely that forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot would join Coetzee at the Steelers in Japan.

Paul Treu, who joined the union in a coaching capacity in December last year, will also form part of the Currie Cup management team. He is believed to be in charge of defensive duties following the departure of Jacques Nienaber to SARU.

Lastly, backline coach Robbie Fleck could be made head coach of the WP Under-21 side, a role Dobson fulfilled over the last few seasons.

Fleck could also take over from Dobson as Vodacom Cup coach in 2016.

* The Stormers play their final Super Rugby warm-up match against the Boland Cavaliers at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, having already notched pre-season wins over the SWD Eagles (34-3) and the Cheetahs (39-31).

They start their Super Rugby campaign against the Bulls in Pretoria on February 14.