Roos back in black as Stormers welcome key No 8 return

Evan Roos is back in line to pull on the black jersey for the Stormers, with the No 8 set to make his first appearance of the season in Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup clash against Bristol Bears in Cape Town. SA Rugby Mag reports that Roos has recovered from a hamstring niggle and will start in the back row alongside Siya Kolisi and Paul de Villiers for the first meeting between the two sides.

Roos’ return comes after a frustrating stretch on the sidelines. He travelled with the squad two weeks ago but did not feature in the trips to Galway and Edinburgh after picking up the injury at training before the Stormers’ win over Connacht. He then had a late withdrawal from last week’s URC derby victory, leaving him still waiting for a first run-out of the campaign.

The 26-year-old told Heart FM presenter Jeremy Harris on The Nigel Pierce Show that the setback was not serious, but it was still a disappointment to fly to Ireland and then get injured early in the tour. He said he only needed some care and attention before getting back to full fitness, and described himself as excited to be playing again. He also said he was disappointed not to run out in a black jersey last week, but was glad to be given another chance.

For the Stormers, Roos’ return adds weight to an important fixture. The Cape side are currently fourth in the URC and are chasing a place in the knockout stage of the Champions Cup for the fourth time in five campaigns. Roos, who started 21 of his 22 club matches across all competitions last season, said that getting through a demanding season in two competitions will require more than just a settled first-choice team.

He explained that the schedule is not like the old Super Rugby days, when teams played fewer matches and could lean on the same group more often. With the URC and Champions Cup running alongside each other, and with travel part of the package, he said the Stormers need a large and capable squad if they want to compete properly in both competitions. Even so, he added that the Champions Cup is a competition the team wants to get right.

There is also a familiar coaching angle to Saturday’s showdown. Roos, Stormers coach John Dobson and assistant coach Dawie Snyman all worked with Bristol boss Pat Lam when they joined his Barbarians coaching group in November last year. Roos described Lam as a strong rugby thinker and a good person, and said that familiarity only makes him expect a tough challenge from the English side.

That sets up an important afternoon for the Stormers, who will be hoping Roos’ return helps them build momentum in a competition they value highly. For Roos, the main thing is simply being back on the field after a stop-start spell and getting the chance to contribute in a black jersey again.