The injury that Evan Roos sustained against Ulster last week is not as bad as the DHL Stormers management first feared and he is expected back in action before the end of their Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign.
According to assistant coach Dawie Snyman, Roos did not tear an anterior cruciate ligament, as first feared. Such an injury would have necessitated surgery and put him out for up to nine months, which would have impacted on his chances of playing for the Springboks in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
“Evan went to the specialists yesterday (Monday) for scans and fortunately it is relatively good news for us in that it is an MCL injury so the ACL is still attached,” said Snyman.
“That means he should be back playing for us by the time the playoff stage of the season arrives, and quite possibly earlier than that.”
So Roos will definitely be missing from the Stormers team that travels to Durban this weekend, but there is some good short term news regarding that game, as the Stormers do have a few players coming back into the system from injury just in time for the derby, while other players ruled out just before the Ulster game have also been given the all clear.
“Both Junior (Pokomela) and Clayton Blommetjies, who were pulled out just before the kick-off in Belfast, have been cleared to play in Durban, which is good news for us,” said the Stormers backline and attack coach.
“Unfortunately Jean-Luc du Plessis is out due to concussion sustained in that game, as is JJ Kotze.”
The loss of flyhalf Du Plessis and hooker Kotze is easily covered, with two Springboks in Manie Libbok and Joseph Dweba expected back in the Stormers mix this weekend.
“Manie still has a few protocol tests to get through (after his concussion against London-Irish) but he is back in training and looks ready to play on Saturday,” Snyman confirmed.
Dweba was rested against Ulster and is one of the fresh players who has been preparing for the Sharks game in Cape Town, as have the likes of Dan du Plessis, Neethling Fouche, Deon Fourie and Hacjivah Dayimani, while scrumhalf Paul de Wet is also expected back in the selection mix this week.
The reinforcements from the Ulster game don’t end there - while Leolin Zas is still out for another few weeks, former Blitzbok star Seabelo Senatla is back from his long layoff and ready to take his place on the wing, a position where the Stormers have been a bit thin recently.
“Seabelo is naturally fit and has worked really hard during his injury lay-off, and he also has the mental toughness that comes from having played so long on the international Sevens circuit, so even though he hasn’t played for a long time he is a guy who can get through 80 minutes if he must,” said Snyman.
Lock Gary Porter was injured against Clermont-Auvergne in December and is available for Saturday too, and with Ernst van Rhyn expected back for the next game against the Vodacom Bulls, suddenly the thinning Stormers lock resources look less thin.
“Gary is back from his injury, and we also saw the value of having Ruben van Heerden join us in the game against Ulster. You always take note of opposition players who do well against you and give you problems so it is going to be good to have Ruben playing for us this week.”