Cape Town — Scrumhalf Paul de Wet is looking forward to running out in his 50th match for the Stormers this Friday in Stellenbosch, a field he knows all too well from his Maties rugby days.
The Cape side faces Benetton (6.30pm kick-off) in the Danie Craven Stadium in their final regular season match of the United Rugby Championship (URC).
A victory with a bonus point will propel the Stormers into second place on the URC log ahead of another clash that's vital to their cause to secure a possible home semi-final.
Ulster plays Edinburgh on Friday evening with the defending champions hoping for an Edinburgh win which will keep them in the second spot should they trump Benetton.
De Wet's milestone comes in a season where he's been outstanding after injuries hampered his progress early in his career. The scrumhalf has been excellent with his service to the backline, putting them in favourable positions with his speedy play and kicking out of hand.
He has even put enough pressure on Springbok Herschel Jantjies that coach John Dobson had to rotate the two scrumhalves during the season.
It has worked well for the team and for De Wet, who has excelled with the extra responsibilities.
"I am very excited, especially playing in Stellenbosch. I've studied there for five years and played a lot of my rugby there," the scrumhalf said.
"Playing my 50th cap for a team I always dreamed of playing for, is special. I'm feeling confident and hopefully, we can play our type of rugby."
De Wet will be up against a former Stormer, Dewaldt Duvenage, who was a senior at the Stormers when a young De Wet found his feet in the Western Province and De Wet is looking forward to going up against one of his mentors.
"He helped me a lot when I started at the Stormers, and last year when we played Benetton, it was really nice to play against him. He's a good player and an even nicer guy.
"It's a great challenge coming up against him. He's played over 250 club games. I have a lot of respect for Dewald."
According to De Wet, he has been enjoying the backing he receives from his coaches. And that healthy competition between him and Jantjies has been driving him too.
They both bring speed to the Stormers' breakdown and quality ball to the backline. De Wet, who is one of the quickest players in the Stormers team, has also been helping out as a winger when needed, showing his versatility.
"The competition is really good and tough. I am thankful to the coaches for allowing each player to get started and rotating us. It is working well and the coaches are getting what they want from the players."
IOL Sport