Fullback Hugo Keenan says Leinster expect a thorough investigation from the Stormers when the teams meet in Saturday’s Vodacom URC semi-final in Dublin.
The Irish giants booked their place in the last four with a commanding victory over the Lions, while the Stormers overcame Cardiff in Cape Town.
The last time the two sides met was in round one, when the Stormers blanked the understrength defending champions 35-0 in the Mother City.
Keenan believes the Cape outfit’s combination of defensive strength and attacking flair makes them one of the most dangerous teams left in the competition.
“They’ve been in the URC for a few years, we know the quality they have in individuals but also how good a team they are,” said Keenan.
“They were first in the URC for the majority of this season, they’ve got the second-best defence in the league and they have that X factor in their backline as well.”
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The Stormers’ emphatic win over Cardiff will have given the side some momentum, but they arrive in Dublin significantly weakened by the loss of star flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who suffered an ankle injury.
But regardless, Keenan says Leinster can’t afford any lapses because there are still plenty of players in the Stormers’ pack and backline capable of turning a game in an instant.
“We know how good they were in the quarter-finals last week and how good they can be,” he said. “It’s going to be another step up this week and will require a bigger, better performance from ourselves.”
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Leinster start as favourites on home soil, but Keenan expects a fierce battle against a Stormers side that has developed a reputation for thriving in knockout rugby.
“There’s a whole lot of threats and a whole lot to their game, and it makes it an exciting challenge for us individually and collectively,” he said.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Keenan: Stormers will demand our best appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Fullback Hugo Keenan says Leinster expect a thorough investigation from the Stormers when the teams meet in Saturday’s Vodacom URC semi-final in Dublin.
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