Loose forward Paul de Villiers has been in sparkling form for the Stormers, but is taking nothing fro granted ahead of this weekend's URC semi-final against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.
Image: EPCR
Paul de Villiers admits Saturday's United Rugby Championship semi-final against Leinster will be unlike anything he has experienced before.
The Stormers loose forward is preparing for the first URC semi-final of his career and could hardly have asked for a bigger stage, with defending champions Leinster awaiting at a packed Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
But rather than being intimidated by the occasion, De Villiers says the squad is eager to test itself against one of the competition's benchmark teams.
"For players and for the team, that's what we've been working for all season – to be here and to be playing in a semi-final," De Villiers said at a press birefing on Monday. "And then, of course, to play against Leinster, which is a proper team, makes it an even bigger occasion."
The 23-year-old has become an increasingly influential figure in the Stormers' back row, producing another industrious display in last weekend's quarter-final victory over Cardiff that included two breakdown turnovers, as well as strong tackles and carries.
While pleased with his recent form, De Villiers was quick to credit the platform being provided by the forwards around him.
"Playing in a good team and behind a good pack makes it so much easier for the individual to fulfil his role and play his best rugby," he said. "We've got an awesome pack and an awesome team, but there's still stuff we can do better."
That mindset appears to be driving the Stormers' preparation despite successive knockout victories and a growing sense of momentum.
"We saw the stats this morning and there are still work-ons and opportunities that we lost out on," De Villiers said.
The loose forward also brushed aside talk of possible Springbok selection following his attendance at a recent national alignment camp, insisting his focus remains firmly on the immediate task at hand.
"For every player in the Stormers at the moment, the focus is only on Saturday," he said. "After that we'll see what happens, but for now it's only about what we can do to make the team better."
For De Villiers, the biggest match of his career has arrived. The challenge now is turning that excitement into a place in the URC final.