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Watch: The Stormers breakout wing who is taking over the URC
Stormers left wing Leolin Zas has taken the United Rugby Championship by storm in 2021/22, with the Western Province product producing the most tries so far in the season.
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The 26-year-old has bagged nine tries so far, including two against Ospreys on the weekend. He does not just possess finishing prowess but has shown incredible playmaking ability to manufacture tries out of nothing.
In his second effort against the Welsh club, he pulled off a 50-metre chip and chase over the top of fullback Dan Evans and got a dream bounce to score effortlessly.
Zas has the combination of power, speed, agility to go with his kicking skills which has made him a force on the Stormers edge this season.
This Zas is klas! Nobody has scored more tries in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this season than our man Leolin Zas. Here are all nine of them for you to enjoy.#youmustbezas #iamastormer @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/K9qEMCuBKR
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) April 6, 2022
The former South African under-20 rep came through the Stormers development system and made his debut for the club in 2016. It became a short lived stint there as the winger made the move to Durban with the Sharks.
His Sharks career never really got going with just five appearances over two years but his move back to the Cape in 2020 is starting to pay dividends as one of the form wingers in the URC.
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The winger revealed recently that he wanted to quit rugby but has bounced back into career defining form with his former club.
Did Leolin Zas just smash through two Welsh internationals on his way to scoring a try he had no right to score?
— Marwaan (@Marubhana) April 2, 2022
Damn, Leolin Zas is a classy finisher.
— Jacques Maree (@JacquesMaree73) April 2, 2022
Biggest surprise for me this season has been the form of Leolin Zas… #SSRugby #STOvsOSP #Stormers
— Carl (@Carl_T84) April 2, 2022
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Leolin Zas is a proper unit out on the Wing for the stormer this season. #URC https://t.co/lAIuZPN6Xs
— Thulani Sejo (@thulanisejo) March 26, 2022
Whether Zas’ URC form will propel him to higher honours is a question mark as the man in front of him, Sharks wing Makazole Mampimpi, has been one of the game’s premier finishers while Cheslin Kolbe when healthy is a lock on the other wing.
The Springboks selectors will be happy to see Zas in such form anyway, giving them an exciting prospect should they need to use the depth building in South Africa at the moment.
Comments on RugbyPass
The side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
4 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
4 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
4 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
4 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to comments