STORMERS WARY OF LEICESTER’S STEWARD

HE STANDS 1.95m tall in his socks and gets to gevaarlike heights when he goes up to catch high balls in the colours of Leicester Tigers and England.

Therefore, 25-year-old Tigers fullback Freddie Steward will pose a serious threat to the Stormers’ chances of booking a home Round of 16 clash in the Champions Cup.

Following the humiliating 61-10 drubbing suffered at the hands of Harlequins last weekend, the Stormers simply have to win Saturday’s match at Cape Town Stadium if they are to have a realistic chance of returning to the Kaap for a knockout match.

Currently in third place on the Champions Cup standings – and with the two top teams getting home advantage in the knockouts – the Stormers know that the fifth-placed Tigers will be desperate to win the clash in order to leapfrog them in the final round-robin match.

And the visitors WILL use the big frame of Steward to collect high balls and put pressure on the hosts’ back three when they apply a Garry Owen-style tactic.

But the Stormers will be gereed for the aerial assault, with assistant coach Dawie Snyman saying: “He [Steward] is one of the best in that area and we have to make plans around it and make sure we play to our strength and not to focus too much on what they bring.”

Another area of concern for the Stormers is the breakdown, where they were outplayed by Quins at the weekend. After leaking NINE tries, the Kapenaars will also have to tighten up their defence.

That’s why Stormers fans will be over the moon to hear that yster defender – outside centre Ruhan Nel – is fit and ready to go.

The 34-year-old veteran missed the last month with a calf injury, with Snyman quoted by IOL as saying: “Ruhan brings a lot, not just defensively but also as a leader. That kind of presence helps settle things when you’re under pressure.”