To be the man you’ve got to beat the man. We’re not 100 percent sure of the origin of that phrase, but Ric Flair of WWE fame is the one referenced online for it.
Whoever came up with it, it’s a saying Marcel Theunissen holds dear to his heart – especially ahead of this weekend’s United Rugby Championship (URC) clash with Wales’ Ospreys at Cape Town Stadium.
Loose-forward Theunissen, 24, is in line to go up against one of Wales’ Dragons’ modern-day heroes – Justin Tipuric.
After representing his country in 93 outings, the 34-year-old Ospreys captain retired from international rugby last year. But he remains a big gun to face on the domestic stage and a scalp to claim if you want to make a name for yourself.
In steps Theunissen, who tells the Stormers website: “Competing against the best is always a valuable opportunity to measure my skills and game. I would eagerly seize the chance with both hands and give my best effort.”
The Stormers are currently fifth on the URC standings, with Ospreys four points behind them in seventh.
Of what the Capetonians can expect from their visitors on Saturday, Theunissen says: “Ospreys are performing well in the URC and are currently on a strong trajectory. We’ll need to be well organised and bring our A-game…
“As the URC log is tightly contested, it’s vital that we deliver strong performances, not just for ourselves but also for the people of Cape Town.”
Theunissen is not guaranteed a place in the starting XV, with the Stormers stacked with backrow options.
And he says of the competition for places among the loose- forwards: “The competition among the loose-trio is and will always be fiercely tough, which drives me to continuously improve and push myself to my limits.
“My approach is to focus on incremental improvement, aiming to be better than I was yesterday, and consistently putting in the hard work across all aspects of the game.”
Director of rugby John Dobson will name his squad for the match on tomorrow.