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#Post#: 147837--------------------------------------------------
Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: WellingQuin
Date: January 14, 2026, 6:04 am
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HTML https://www.quins.co.uk/article/lewies-to-depart-for-sharks
Harlequins can confirm that second row Stephan Lewies will leave
the Club at the end of the 2025/26 season to join the
Hollywoodbet Sharks.
Lewies joined Harlequins ahead of the 2019/20 campaign from
South Africa and has since made 88 appearances in all
competitions for the Club.
Lewies returns to his native South Africa after seven seasons at
The Stoop, in which the lock has been a powerful presence and
leader in the forward pack.
In November 2020, Lewies was appointed Club Captain, succeeding
Chris Robshaw. In that role he led Harlequins through a
memorable 2020/21 Gallagher PREM season, culminating in the
Club’s second PREM title after a 40-38 victory over Exeter
Chiefs in the final at Twickenham.
Lewies stepped away from his captaincy role ahead of the 2024/25
season, passing the baton to Alex Dombrandt, but has remained a
valuable and influential member of the Club’s leadership group.
“I reflect on my seven years at the Club with a huge amount of
gratitude. I arrived at the Club in 2019 with a few suitcases
and a girlfriend, I’m leaving the Club with a lot of memories,
new friends, a wife and baby,” said Lewies
“My time at Quins has been unbelievable. It’s hard to put it
into words really and say thank you enough, but gratitude is the
word that comes to mind and a lot of pride as well.
“The aim for this season is to finish on a high. If there is one
Club that has proven they can turn it around, it is Harlequins
and I believe we can do that. It started against the Stormers at
the weekend, and we’ve got another big game against La Rochelle
on Sunday.
“On a personal level, my slogan for the rest of the season is to
‘empty the tank’ and give everything I have to the Quins jersey,
whether that’s on or off the pitch. I just want to give my all
and make everyone proud.”
Senior Coach Jason Gilmore added: “We wish Steph, Ash and their
family all the best as they return back home to South Africa.
Steph has been central to the Club both as a player and Captain,
including the run to the 2020/21 title.
“His physical presence, leadership and demanding of standards
are traits that he instils every day into the Club and will
continue for the rest of the season.
“We will miss having Steph’s presence at the Club, but we know
he has left a positive legacy for the next wave of Harlequins to
come through.”
#Post#: 147838--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: Quinto
Date: January 14, 2026, 6:08 am
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Best of luck to him
#Post#: 147839--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: AAjnr
Date: January 14, 2026, 6:12 am
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For a man who's personal motto is to 'empty the tank,' I'd
argued he's more than lived up to that.
It's a shame that his injuries have been so frequent as I'm sure
he'd have had more impact. Delighted that he's got his place in
the Quins history books with 2021
#Post#: 147840--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: January 14, 2026, 6:13 am
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Yeah, great player and leader. Suffered with injuries which was
a shame but always gives his all. I had a good chat with him
about dodgy knees as well. Surprised we're not keeping him
around as a coach, I think he has a lot to offer there.
#Post#: 147841--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: AAjnr
Date: January 14, 2026, 6:18 am
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--- Quote from: Banstead Quin link ---
>
> Surprised we're not keeping him around as a coach, I think he
has a lot to offer there.
>
--- End Quote ---
Every Saffer I know finds the UK winters one of the hardest
parts about living here. Missing out on those for seven years
can't have been easy when a return home was a strong
possibility. Agreed he could have a lot to offer going forward
but not surprised he wants to head home.
#Post#: 147842--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: toast
Date: January 14, 2026, 6:20 am
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Best of luck to him!
#Post#: 147845--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: January 14, 2026, 7:06 am
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A good, committed servant to the club. Not his fault that
injuries have taken their toll, but when he was fit and firing,
he made a big difference to the pack. Good luck in the future!
#Post#: 147846--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: January 14, 2026, 7:49 am
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Good luck Steph! Always gave it his all and we were always a
much better team with him in it. It's a shame that injuries
robbed him (and us!) of more of him in a Quins shirt but he
can't be blamed for that. Hope we get to see plenty of him
before he heads off.
#Post#: 147848--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: Archquin
Date: January 14, 2026, 8:12 am
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Thanks Steph - I'm sure he reads this board [emoji1]
#Post#: 147849--------------------------------------------------
Re: Confirmed: Lewies to leave Quins
DIR By: Quinky
Date: January 14, 2026, 8:30 am
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Best of luck to him. In his early days he was a superb player
for us. Latterly we've seen little of him, and I've wondered if
him being brought back in as soon as he was close to fit was a
good thing, or a disruption to a constantly changing line-up.
That said, I wish him all the best, and to his family. I must
admit, the choice of bringing up a young family in London
compared to the better parts of SA won't have been a tough one!
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