Stormers flyhalf Peter Grant could finish his second stint in Japan and be back in Cape Town as early as next week if the Kobe Steelers fail to qualify for the Japan Cup.

Thus far this season Kobe have struggled to match the success they achieved last year and will play a wildcard match this weekend in an attempt to qualify for the Japan Cup.

"It's a wildcard game where we will try to qualify for the next competition called the Japan Cup," Grant told this website in an exclusive interview.

"From now on it's a knock-out tournament so how long we can keep up a winning role will determine how long I'll be staying here."

Should Kobe put a winning streak together and reach the final of the tournament Grant will be in Japan until March 18, but a defeat this weekend will spell the end of the season and a plane ticket home for the South African pivot.

"The moment I finish up I'll fly out on the next Monday and join the Stormers straight away," he said.

The 27-year-old will return and be thrust straight into the Super Rugby season, but must first fight for the Stormers No.10 jersey against youngsters Gary van Aswegen and Burton Francis.

"I've been in touch with Stephan du Toit the fitness trainer just to see what the guys have been up to, because we're tapering down here at this stage of the season," Grant said. "I'm trying to hear what the guys are doing so that i can do my best to keep up so that I can stay on a par with them from this side."

Grant admits that his second spell with Kobe hasn't proved to be quite as fruitful as his debut season in the Japanese Top League.

"My season hasn't been as good as last time in Japan - I've had a few niggles and it's been very up and down for the team and with all our potential finishing sixth on the log is disappointing," he admitted.

However, the talented playmaker was grateful to avoid the massive culture shock this time round and has been more prepared for the bitterly cold Japanese winter.

"It's a lot easier the second time around and come winter I know how many layers of clothes to be wearing because it can get very cold out there," he said.

There have been a few more friendly South African faces in the league this season, and Grant's Kobe Steel tested themselves against Suntory Sungoliath, who have Springboks Fourie du Preez and Danie Rossouw on their books, as well as former Stormers teammate Jaque Fourie's Panasonic Wild Knights.

"The last game of the tournament was against Suntory so I managed to catch up with Danie and Fourie, and a few weeks before that I played against Jacque," he said.

Jaque Fourie will leave the Wild Knights at the end of the season to join Kobe Steel on a lucrative contract, so the Bok centre spent some time with Grant in his future home town.

"Jaque actually came down for a few days and stayed with me, so it’s been good to see some familiar faces and hear a South African accent," Grant explained.

"I'm looking like a real snowman at the moment and Jaque and I had a good chuckle because last year when I came back [to Cape Town] they were all laughing at how pale I was and now he understands why.

"I'm looking forward to catching some sun in Cape Town to get some colour in my face," he added with a chuckle.

By Timmy Hancox