Hacjivah Dayimani has continued to build a case for his Springbok inclusion, with his performance for the DHL Stormers against Sale Sharks putting him in an elite group in the Champions Cup.
Dayimani produced another man-of-the-match performance as the DHL Stormers claimed a vital bonus-point victory over Sale in Cape Town on Saturday.
The loose forward scored the Stormers’ first try in the opening 10 minutes of the match and was incredibly effective with ball-in-hand, picking up an assist when he set up Leolin Zas’ second try and his team’s fourth.
Further, according to OptaStats, Dayimani beat no fewer than 10 defenders during the game, the most of any player over the Champions Cup weekend.
It is also the joint-most of any forward in Europe’s top-tier competition, since Opta started recording the statistic, as Dayimani shares the record with Jasper Wiese.
10 – @TheStormers’ Hacjivah Dayimani beat 10 defenders against Sale Sharks, the most of any player in the @ChampionsCup over the weekend and the joint-most by any forward in the competition since Opta have recorded this data (also Jasper Wiese v Clermont in Dec 2022). Incisive. pic.twitter.com/w6ktjPXeXH
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) January 15, 2024
Dayimani also made 20 carries and 126 metres, the most of any player during the match, to go with two linebreaks.
In the build-up to the game, Dayimani spoke about breaking the ceiling of always being touted as an up-and-comer.
Stormers captain Deon Fourie said after the match that Dayimani is proving himself worthy of the green and gold.
“He is a quality player, quality human being,” Fourie said. “He is one of the best and has been showing it for the last two seasons.
“He is just that X-factor. You think nothing is going to happen and then he just breaks through.
“If he keeps delivering weekly there will be higher honours for him.”
The Stormers next face Stade Francais in Paris on Saturday in their final Champions Cup pool match, with a place in the round of 16 to play for.
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images