Leolin Zas could make his return for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship (URC) against the team that helped catapult him to prominence last season.
Last season Zas played against Munster and the Dragons early in the Stormers' campaign, but it was their romp against Zebre Parma that helped set him on his way to topping the try scoring chart.
He scored against Munster but his season took off with a brace against the Italians with a performance that helped cement his place in the team.
He dotted down 11 times in as many games, but cruelly, as the tournament was about to reach its climax, Zas suffered a significant setback in the Stormers' victory over Ulster in their semifinal in Cape Town. An ankle injury and subsequent surgery tripped him up just as his star took off.
The team went on to win the trophy without Zas, but the man who made such a telling contribution on their road to the final is back in the mix.
He was included in the Stormers' 28-man squad for their URC tour matches against Zebre Parma, Ospreys and Cardiff.
Stormers coach John Dobson will hope Zas won't take as long to bounce back from this setback as he did from the injury that stopped him in his tracks in 2017.
The player broke two bones in his leg and so long and steep seemed the road to recovery, Zas contemplated quitting the game.
He recovered but opted for a change in scenery. His bid to relaunch his career in Durban never took off and he returned to Cape Town.
Dobson, who has lauded the player's size, ability under the high ball, the accuracy of his kicking game and speed, will be keen to see those attributes in abundant display, if not against Zebre Parma this weekend, then later on their travels.
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