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Former Lion Roberts poised to solve problem for Stormers

rugby13 January 2020 08:07| © SuperSport
By:Gavin Rich
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Jamie Roberts © Gallo Images

Wales and former British and Irish Lions centre Jamie Roberts looks set to solve a couple of potential problem areas for what should otherwise be a strong DHL Stormers squad for the coming Vodacom Super Rugby season.

Roberts, who toured South Africa in 2009 and Australia in 2013 with the Lions and although now 33 years of age is understood to be determined to be available for next year’s Lions tour to this country, expressed an interest in playing for the Stormers last year. That overture never got anywhere due to financial considerations and Roberts was then linked with the Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders.

Plans for him to join Crusaders fell through when the All Blacks lost their World Cup semifinal to England and New Zealand rugby embarked on a new path, but the Stormers are understood to have reopened their negotiations with Roberts and it is believed there will be an announcement later in the week.

Stormers coach John Dobson sent out a cryptic message about Roberts’ probable arrival when at the end of a media briefing where he discussed the midfield as one potential problem area he said “we have a plan to deal with it”.

While the Stormers have retained most of their Springboks and look particularly well stocked at forward ahead of the new season, the departure of World Cup winner Damian de Allende and the continued injury problems being experienced by Dan du Plessis have rendered the midfield vulnerable. Michal Hazner, one of the stars in the Griquas team that did so well in the Currie Cup, has returned to the Cape and there are several promising youngsters on the Western Province books.

However, Hazner has played most of his rugby at outside centre while Blitzbok star and Springbok contender Ruhan Nel is not going to be available to play for the Stormers should they make the Super Rugby play-offs as he will be with the national Sevens team preparing for the Tokyo Olympics.

“Dan is going to be out for a couple of weeks still and with Damian gone we do have a definite concern in the midfield, but we have a plan to deal with it,” said Dobson.

Roberts will bring the experience that the Stormers lack in the position and it is understood that his brief at the Stormers will be to help develop young pivot Damian Willemse as a flyhalf, as well as assumedly rub some of his know-how and experience off on Du Plessis when he is fit. Former All Black Tony Brown played a similar role with some of the young Sharks players who later became Springboks when he played for the Durban franchise in an august of stage of his career back in 2006, and Roberts can do the same. He will be playing a similar role to what veteran former Bok flyhalf Morne Steyn will be filling at the Vodacom Bulls.

Roberts, who is qualified as a medical doctor, has been playing well for Bath in the English Premiership so should not lack sharpness and readiness for the Super Rugby competition he appears determined to get a taste of.

Meanwhile Dobson wasn’t happy on some levels with the Stormers’ performances in their warm-up exercise at the Varsity Day in Ravensmead at the weekend. The Stormers teams, made up mostly of fringe players, produced some sloppy rugby in the hot conditions and were beaten by a selection from the WP clubs in one of the early chukkas.

“It was less than I hoped for in terms of the training that was put in,” said Dobson.

“Our attack was very disjointed, our breakdown wasn’t great and our discipline was very poor. But in terms of conditioning and getting used to contact it was a superb exercise. We got more from the opposing teams than we though we would get. We lost to the club team, and the university teams were very good, so on the positive side the day showcased the incredible depth we do have in this region.”

Dobson now faces the tricky challenge of selecting two separate teams for the coming weekend. The Stormers face the Isuzu Southern Kings in a warm-up match at Loerie Park in Knysna on Friday night and then travel to Johannesburg for the Super Heroes Sunday clash with the Cell C Sharks at FNB Stadium.

“The Varsity Day did tell us what we need to work on and what we should be looking for in the next two games. It will be hard to fill two separate teams but we feel we are in a good position,” said Dobson.

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