AUDIO: De Villiers to help Stormers 'stay in the fight'

Today at 05:43 AM

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will need all the help they can get if they want to cause a huge upset against Leinster in Dublin on Saturday.

That includes some impact off the bench, and one player has been grabbing his opportunity with both hands over the last month.

Former Junior Springbok captain Paul de Villiers has played off the bench in the Stormers' last five outings in all competitions, and the experience he has gained has given him plenty of confidence.

The story continues below...

"I had a lekker build-up going into the URC and Stormers rugby," said the 22-year-old flank.

"I played a bit of Currie Cup, which I think prepared me well.

"If I am honest with myself, it [the URC] is a step up, but I am just trying to adapt and get better with every game and try my best to stay in that matchday 23."

De Villiers is also learning from the best in the business when it comes to poaching the ball at breakdowns.

"I'm in a very privileged position to have guys ahead of me that I can look up to," he said.

"I've got guys like Deon [Fourie] and Dave Ewers here and I'm talking about absolute fetchers.

"I am watching them on and off the field - what they do and how they prepare. I will go with a video or two just to get some advice.

"Sometimes, I still go into the wrong breakdown, but I do watch how Deon and Dave operate and I just soak up everything.

"It comes with experience. The more I learn, the better it will be."

The story continues below...

[rp-mc-game id="204|942302|2025"][/rp-mc-game]

Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani said De Villiers has been ticking the boxes over the last few weeks.

"There has always been a plan," said the coach.

"A season ago, Paul started playing in the Currie Cup. We played a few young guys who we thought had the potential to play, so the plan is really coming together for us.

"It's nice to see Paul coming in and being impactful in such big games and we are probably going to wake up in a couple of months and realise that Paul has got 15 or 20 Stormers caps and that is what we want.

"Paul has been really good and we are quite happy with his progress. He has a high workrate, he is really smart around the field and he chases hard and never stops.

"We are quite happy with his development and he is just going to get better."

Meanwhile, on the challenge of facing Leinster, Hlungwani added: "We are playing a strong team, but we are coming into this game giving ourselves the best opportunity to get what we want, which is a win.

"We are going to give our all and try as hard as we can.

"We're going to stay in the fight and hopefully we will get the result we want.

"As much as we understand that we are playing against a tough team, we are not fearful of the battle or the mountain that awaits us."

@rugby365com

[rp-comp-table data="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"][/rp-comp-table]