Evan Roos has credited fellow Springboks Duane Vermeulen and Jasper Wiese for their role in his meteoric rise to Test rugby, with the young No 8 saying it’s “like having a cheat code”.
Roos, who scored a game-changing try for the DHL Stormers on his comeback from a rib injury in a Champions Cup clash against Clermont Auvergne on Saturday, earned his first Test callup in 2022 after a standout season in the inaugural Vodacom United Rugby Championship.
He is touted as a bolter in the Bok squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup later this year, but the 23-year-old has dismissed talk over his possible inclusion, and rather praised the influence of Vermeulen and Wiese on his development over the past 12 months.
“I learned so much when I was with Duane during the Rugby Championship, and then alongside Jasper on the end-of-year tour. They’re quality players, but they’re quality human beings as well,” Roos told BokSquad.
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“The public may like to compare the three of us, but perhaps they don’t understand that we’re actually on the same team and trying to help one another become better. At the end of the day, it’s about what South African rugby needs.
“For me personally, I feel like working alongside Duane and Jasper is like having a cheat code. Especially with regard to Duane’s experience… tapping into that can make the transition to Test rugby much easier. They’ve done it all before, whereas I’m still making my way.”
He added: “Only a certain number of players can go to the World Cup. It would be great to be there, but if I don’t make it, I know it will be down to a specific plan or reason. There is a lot of competition in the team at the moment, especially at No 8.
“The European competition is the focus at the moment, and hopefully we at the Stormers can defend our URC title later in the season. I’m excited about the next few months, and I’m going to give it my best shot, in terms of helping the Stormers and staking a claim for a place in the World Cup squad.”
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Roos was part of the Stormers team that won the URC final in Cape Town, and also scooped a full house of individual awards that included the competition’s Player of the Season.
Yet, the Paarl Boys’ High prodigy believes he still has much to learn as he competes against the world’s elite players in the URC and Champions Cup.
“I’ve had to raise my standards to keep up,” he said. “You’re up against Test players every week, whether it’s in the URC or the Champions Cup. For a guy who’s still on the young side, it’s a great way to learn and measure yourself against the best. It’s a good way to improve.
“I grew up watching teams like Leinster and Toulouse from afar, and everyone in South Africa always thought it would be cool to play against those clubs in a competition. In that way, it’s been great to realise that dream.
“On the other hand, the schedule has had its challenges. You’re playing the URC and the Champions Cup at the same time, and the travel is tough. One week we’re playing here in Cape Town, and the next we’re flying to Europe. Then we’re back in South Africa a few days later, before heading overseas again…”
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