Leolin Zas of Stormers evades a tackle from Marco van Staden of Bulls to score a try during the United Rugby Championship 2022/23 quarterfinal between the Stormers and Bulls at Cape Town Stadium on 6 May 2023 © Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
Zas on Stormers fans: ‘We have the best’
Leolin Zas is looking forward to entertaining the Stormers fans again this weekend when they host Connacht at DHL Stadium.
Leolin Zas of Stormers evades a tackle from Marco van Staden of Bulls to score a try during the United Rugby Championship 2022/23 quarterfinal between the Stormers and Bulls at Cape Town Stadium on 6 May 2023 © Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
Leolin Zas is looking forward to entertaining the Stormers fans again this weekend when they host Connacht at DHL Stadium.
The semi-final takes place at 16:00 on Saturday, 13 May.
The in-form wing is looking forward to the clash in Cape Town in front of the fans he has labelled as the best in the competition.
Stormers fans are No 1, says Zas
“I think personally we have the best supporters in Cape Town! The vibe is just different and they just bring the best out of us,” said Zas to the team’s website.
“Knowing that so many people believe in us, they spend their money, which they work hard for, to buy a ticket to watch us play, and we would love to have the same amount of people there this weekend, or even more! It makes a huge difference.”
ALSO READ: Upsets in the URC? Don’t bet on it!
The 27-year-old missed the final last season through injury and is so happy to be back.
“First of all, it was just a blessing to be able to play again after a long time off with injury, and against the Vodacom Bulls at home,” Zas said.
“I think these are the things you dream of when you are a little boy so I was just very happy and blessed.
CONNACHT HAVE BEATEN THE STORMERS BEFORE
The hosts will also draw inspiration from the fact that they registered a comfortable 38-15 victory against the visitors at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch in the pool stages. Interestingly this will mark Connacht’s first visit to the DHL Stadium, as the teams’ last two outings were in Stellenbosch and Galway respectively.
ALSO READ: Dayimani and the Stormers playing for something more
The visitors, in turn, who finished the pool stages in seventh place, will enter the clash with the mindset that nothing is impossible after defying the odds to beat the second-placed Ulster away last week in the quarter-final to advance to the top four.
ALSO READ: United Rugby Championship: Final spots up for grabs
This victory came after a morale-boosting run of winning six of their last seven league games to qualify for the playoffs, while they will also draw some confidence from the fact that they defeated the Stormers 19-17 in a tight match in Galway last season.
