Cape Town – Springbok Evan Roos is back in training with the Stormers this week as they prepare for their Champions Cup quarter-final this coming weekend.
In a boost for the side, as they look to qualify for the top four of the competition, Roos will most likely be thrown back in the deep end this coming weekend already.
The 23-year-old sustained an MCL injury against Ulster late in January this year after being croc-rolled by fellow Springbok Duane Vermeulen at a ruck.
The fears were that Roos would miss a significant part of the Stormers’ playoff campaign in the Champions Cup and final round-robin matches of the United Rugby Championship (URC), only returning for the end game of the URC.
But, he will be available for selection this weekend already as the Stormers await the result of the Exeter versus Montpellier (kickoff 13:30) Champions Cup knockout match on Sunday to see who their opponent will be.
The Cape side is hoping for a home quarter-final after defeating Harlequins 32-28 on Saturday, but for that to happen, Montpellier will have to topple Exeter.
If the English Premiership side wins, the Stormers will travel to Sandy Park for their playoff game – which will be a more daunting task.
There’s the travel factor that the Stormers have to take into consideration as well as a home URC match against Munster the following week.
With the team trying to hold on to second place in the URC, they’ll have to plan accordingly when they face Munster as traveling to England and back to Cape Town can take its toll on the squad.
“The Heineken Cup is the prestigious one, so we are going to go all out (for it),” Dobson said about the next couple of weeks of rugby.
“Maybe if we tweak (the team) it will be for Munster and back some of our guys who have played URC to get us through a home game there and (against) Benneton.
“We will go full noise to Exeter (if the Stormers have to travel).”
In more good news for the Stormers, winger Leolin Zas should be back playing later this month along with lock Adre Smith. Former Blitzbok speedster Angelo Davids is also poised to return to training this week.
