Marcel Theunissen is currently loving life as the Stormers’ first-choice openside flank while Springbok yster Deon Fourie is still finding his way back to rugby after suffering an injury near the end of last season’s United Rugby Championship.
The 29-year-old loosie, who is usually in contention with newly-capped Springbok Ben-Jason Dixon for the No.7 jersey on the blindside flank, got his second start at six in this past weekend’s 36-5 win against Zebre Parma in Italy.
And, according to Stormers defence coach Norman Laker, Theunissen alongside backrow partners Dixon and No.8 Keke Morabe issie main manne behind the Kapenaars conceding just one try against Zebre.
Laker explains: “They are doing a phenomenal job. They don’t always get steals like a Deon Fourie does, but there are other aspects in which they are phenomenal in.
“[Like] their attacking ability, slowing the ball down after the tackle and applying pressure at the breakdown. That second or two he [Theunissen] buys us at the breakdown to get the opportunity to create line-speed pressure on the opposition team’s attack. Keke and Ben-Jason Dixon are the same with their workrate, it is amazing to have them on the pitch.”
Theunissen, who has already racked up 53 caps for the Stormers, however, says of still making his mark at six: “Every single week I am learning and getting better at it. I am trying to use my opportunities whenever I get it…
“At the moment I am focusing on six – they playing me there so ja, I’ll do my best and just keep on working on work-ons. I am definitely going to try to evolve and get better every single week.”
He adds of again putting his best foot forward this weekend when the Stormers tackle an Edinburgh side who also like to run the ball: “Between me and my backrow partners, I think we can slow their ball down – just to give us that three seconds to reset and get the linespeed.”