Defensive linchpin ready to change Stormers fortunes after injury

Ruhan Nel is back and ready to lead the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final clash against Cardiff next weekend.

The Stormers captain missed the back-to-back defeats to Ulster and Cardiff that complicated what had been a promising league campaign.

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The timing of his return couldn't be more important.

"I'm feeling really good. Training's been going good, the load's been picking up, so I'm really excited to get going," Nel said.

Nel, however, was candid about the difference between the controlled environment of training and the unpredictability of match-day rugby.

"Training is a bit more of a controlled environment, so if there's something that pops up, the medical staff can probably pull you there, where the game is a little bit more uncontrolled and you don't have control over, especially with a 6-2 split on the bench. An early injury can really cause some disruption there," he said.

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John Dobson has already flagged that Nel's defensive leadership is one of the things the Stormers have missed most in his absence.

His return is a welcome boost for the Cape-based side, who want to put the last few weeks behind them and return to winning ways when it matters.