Imad Khan eager to steer Stormers’ quarter-final push in Cobus Reinach’s absence

Stormers rookie scrumhalf Imad Khan is bracing for his biggest challenge yet on senior level ahead of the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-finals against Cardiff on Saturday in Cape Town.

The youngster looks set to take up a starting role in the absence of World Cup winner Cobus Reinach and will be one of the Cape side’s game drivers alongside flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and fullback Damian Willemse at the DHL Stadium (3.30pm kick-off).

Khan has been the go-to No 9 over the last couple of games for the inaugural champions, and although things didn’t go according to plan overseas in the final league matches, they are deadset on rectifying their shortcomings.

The 22-year-old will embrace the occasion and wants to make use of the learnings from guys like Reinach, Dewaldt Duvenage and Stefan Ungerer to help steer the Stormers’ ship.

“I try to grab a lot of things from the players around me,” Khan said ahead of the clash.

“Cobus is a world-class player, and Stef is also very experienced. With Dewies (Duvenage), I work a lot around the technical side of being a scrumhalf. They teach me a lot of things, and we are heading into the play-offs now, so it’s about driving the team.

“It’s really cool to pick up different things from the world-class players around me.”

According to Khan, it’s a dream-come-true running out for the Stormers, and it’s something that he’s been chasing since his school days.

He knows that with the opportunity comes pressure, especially ahead of a quarter-final, but he has embraced it because it’s been his dream to run out in the jersey of the Cape side at the DHL Stadium.

“It’s more of an exciting thing for me and taking the moment in more than calling it pressure. It is so much fun to be playing with your mates and throwing a ball around. Yes, it is pressure, but I am enjoying it, and that is what is driving me.

“Hopefully, I can continue enjoying my rugby, which takes the pressure off.”