Warrick Gelant hailed the impact of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse at the Stormers during a critical stage of the 2024/25 United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign.

The Springboks playmakers have spent large chunks of the season on the sidelines due to injuries but made their return to action during the Stormers’ away URC matches against the Scarlets and Ulster in the United Kingdom last month.

They clinched a bonus-point win over the Scarlets and suffered a narrow defeat to Ulster but despite the latter result, the Cape Town-based outfit are firmly back in the race to make the play-offs.

Boks full-back Gelant has been in superb attacking form for the Stormers throughout this season but was full of praise for Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Willemse‘s respective performances in last Saturday’s 34-29 triumph over Connacht in Cape Town.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu shone against Connacht

Fly-half Feinberg-Mngomezulu led the way with a 24-point contribution courtesy of a hat-trick of tries, three conversions and a penalty, while inside centre Willemse showed some deft touches on attack.

“They lifted the morale of the team,” Gelant said of Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Willemse’s return to action in recent weeks. “It was not just good for me on the attack, but for the entire side.

“The calmness they bring, the maturity and experience. They lead by example, and it is great for the guys to have them back. It also changes the picture of the attack for most of us.

“We can now play other parts of our game and not be on the ball all the time. Someone else can take charge of the attack. The nice thing is, they see what I see on the attack and it’s much easier (playing alongside them).

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“Even when the roles are reversed and I run with the ball as the first receiver. If I run off them, they know what I see and if they run off me, I know what they see.

‘They spoil you and play entertaining rugby’

“It is nice to have guys like that, they spoil you and play entertaining rugby. It is also what we want to give our fans.”

Although the Stormers are shining on attack and scored five tries against Connacht, they were also exposed on defence as their opponents crossed for a similar number of five-pointers.

The men from the Cape are currently in eighth position in the URC standings while Benetton are in fifth spot and although just one point separates the two sides in the table, Gelant is preparing for a tough encounter from the Italian outfit.

“They (Benetton) are a physical side with plenty of international players,” he added.

“Jacob Umaga makes a big difference at fly-half and Rhyno Smith, who is from here, and we know his flair and what he brings. They will ask questions in the wider channel, like Connacht.

“But their game is a bit more polished, and they bring a kicking game too. If I can say it like this, they will be a well-polished side coming here.”

READ MORE: Springboks captain hails ‘scary’ Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu after ‘bailing’ the Stormers out

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/warrick-gelant-praises-sacha-feinberg-mngomezulu-and-damian-willemses-impact-on-stormers-revival