Ruhan wants to make Zassie smile

Skipper Ruhan Nel hopes the Stormers can do “great team man” Leolin Zas a favour and pick up the win in the winger’s 100th club appearance on Friday night. 

Speaking from Galway on Thursday, Nel praised Zas, who has been named in John Dobson’s starting XV for the round-one clash against Connacht at The Sportsground. 

The URC winner made his senior Stormers bow in 2016 before two seasons at the Sharks and a 2020 return to Cape Town.

“Zassie … it’s a very proud moment for him and his family, and I think he’d be the first to say that he would have loved it to be at home,” Nel told the media. 

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“He told me during the week how special it would have been to run out with his wife and his baby girl.

“Zas is unbelievable. He’s had that big injury, he moved away from the Stormers, continued his career with the Sharks for a bit and came back again … he’s such a great team man. 

‘To reach 100 caps is still very special. I think for anybody to reach 100 is really special.

“He’s such a great team man. He’s such a lag [laugh] in the team environment. There’s always a light note when it comes to Zas – he’s not too serious, so we love him very much.

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“So ja, we’re very happy for him and very proud of him. Hopefully, tomorrow we can do him a favour and pick up the win on his 100th.”

Zas missed out on the 2021-22 URC final due to an ankle injury, after topping the try-scoring charts, yet Dobson describes the 30-year-old’s ongoing contributions as “enormous”.

“He’s one of the drivers of this team in terms of his personality and the energy he brings off the field,” the head coach added. “He played the most game minutes last year – I think he was one of the top players in the URC in that regard.

“He’s been an absolute rock. For a guy with his injury history, to have the contributions he does, and just the presence he has – his face can light up a room.

“He’s one of those guys, like Ruhan and Seabelo [Senatla], who have helped rebuild this franchise after some really dark days in the late 2010s and early 2020s. We’re really pleased for him.”

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Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images