Coach John Dobson believes the return of “all-action” Evan Roos can help the DHL Stormers cope in the absence of influential openside flanker Deon Fourie.
Roos is in line to make an impact off the bench, with Hacjivah Dayimani and Willie Engelbrecht joining Ben-Jason Dixon in a new-look loose trio when a re-jigged Stormers lineup takes on Munster in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in Cape Town on Saturday.
Fourie is sidelined with a fractured eye socket and is in a race to be fit to feature in the URC playoffs. His place against the Exeter Chiefs in the Champions Cup last week was taken by Junior Pokomela, who will play for Western Province against the Cheetahs this weekend.
Speaking during a Stormers conference on Friday, Dobson told reporters: “Junior played two weeks at seven in the Currie Cup and then we threw him in at the deep end at Sandy Park, so if he is going to help us with six until Deon is back, he needs to play six. So we thought let’s put him at six in the Currie Cup, it’s more useful for him.
“Willie did a job for us in the Rainbow Cup and Super Rugby Unlocked when he was on loan with us [in 2021-22] and he is quite a destructive and physical guy.
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“It’s a clutch job in that sense but after last week [at Sandy Park] it’s tough to start Junior there … and having Evan back for us is a boost. As opposed to Hacjivah, [Roos is] a 15s No 8 … he likes carrying off nine, he likes to go for a steal.
“The only thing to be concerned about [Roos contributing at six] is his size but he can definitely play a role – he’s an all-action guy. Whether he comes on at six, seven or eight, six is a possibility.”
Captain Steven Kitshoff added: “I think Brannas brings a lot of momentum, stopping power for his size, the way he competes at the breakdown. And it is a big element of our game … and sometimes we’ve maybe taken that for granted.
“We have to find solutions and think guys like Willie, BJ, guys who are strong, mobile … maybe not technically good at the breakdown but have different aspects of their game that can stop momentum and slow the ball down.
“It’s 100% something we missed in the game [against Exeter] but we’ve got the personnel to do it at other stages and other ways of the game.”
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