This has been a breakout season for the 23-year-old De Villiers, who has become a regular starter at No 6.
Stormers loose forward Paul de Villiers will be aiming to impress in their URC semifinal against Leinster on Saturday. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
Rising Stormers loose forward talent Paul de Villiers is gearing up for the biggest match of his fledgling career, saying a huge United Rugby Championship (URC) semifinal encounter against defending champions Leinster in Dublin is exactly what the team has been working towards.
Since finishing second on the URC log in the first season of the competition, and going on to win, and third on the log in URC two, when they finished as runners-up, the Stormers have finished fifth on the log the past two seasons and been dumped out in the quarter-finals.
This season they finally finished in the top four again, with their third-place finish, earneding them a home quarter-final against Cardiff which they duly won in Cape Town last weekend.
Now, however, they travel to Ireland to take on Irish giants Leinster, with the Stormers gunning for a first ever away play-off win to get them to a third final in five seasons.
“For players and for the team, that’s what we’ve been working for all season. To be here and to be playing in a semifinal. And then, of course, to play against Leinster, which is a proper team, makes it an even bigger occasion,” De Villiers said.
“We understand we’re playing a very strong outfit. They are a team packed with internationals. It’s going to be a massive challenge.”
Powerful pack
Where the Stormers will look to get the upper hand will be at the step piece, with their forward pack one of the most destructive at scrum time, while their lineouts and mauls are very dangerous weapons, and De Villiers said he enjoyed playing behind a dominant pack.
“Playing in a good team and behind a good pack makes it so much easier for the individual to fulfil his role and play his best rugby. We’ve got an awesome pack and an awesome team, but there’s still stuff we can do better,” said De Villiers.
This has been a breakout season for the 23-year-old De Villiers, who has become a regular starter at No 6 for the Stormers, especially when Deon Fourie has been out injured, while he has also worked incredibly well in tandem with the Bok veteran when he has been fit.
A possible Springbok call-up is definitely on the cards for De Villiers after being invited to two alignment camps so far this year, and although that is a major goal for him, he says all of his focus is currently on the URC campaign.
“For every player in the Stormers at the moment, the focus is only on Saturday. After that we’ll see what happens, but for now it’s only about what we can do to make the team better.”
