JUMP FOR JOY

STORMERS loose forward Marcel Theunissen says he is ready to bom the Glasgow Warriors’ lineouts in Friday’s United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Scotstoun Stadium.

Theunissen has been a revelation at openside flank for the Kaapse span this season, after Springbok Ben-Jason Dixon suffered a season-ending injury.

The 25-year-old Bloemfontein-born loosie has impressed with his high work-rate and donkiewerk on and off the ball. 

But where the 1.92m tall loosie has truly cut loose is with his explosive jumping in the lineouts – stealing seven balls from the opposition team’s throw.

The defending champions are known for using their lineouts to set up a powerful rolling maul. And Theunissen says of using his aerial skills to defuse die Skotte se try-scoring weapon: “Yeah, I like lineouts… I like to contest lineouts and also do my part in our attacking lineouts.

“I have a good understanding of our lineout, but I must compliment the guys next to me. I talk a lot with guys like [captain] Salmaan [Moerat], Ruben [van Heerden] and JD Schickerling.

“We [always] sit together analysing the other team’s lineouts, so I must compliment them because they help me look good.”  

Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani, also heaped praise on Theunissen, whom the former coached at U19 level, for evolving into a real aerial threat and says: “[The reason] why he is so good is his speed [off the ground]. He is not as tall as a Ruben or JD, but his speed and how he maintains his posture is something he does really well.”  

However, Theunissen wants to be more than just a threat in the air come Friday and says of taking on Glasgow’s Scottish international loosies Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey: “I have played against them [before]. They are good players and I think it is a good opportunity for me and the other loose-forwards to give our best and see [how we measure up] against a guy like Darge.”