John Dobson admitted fears the DHL Stormers could be without Evan Roos for the rest of the season after the No 8 was injured in the loss to Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.
Roos was forced off the field in the 23rd minute after being cleaned out at a ruck by opposite number Duane Vermeulen and Ulster flanker Nick Timoney.
Evan Roos in tears after being croc rolled by Duane Vermeulen. ?@Vodacom #URC #ULSvSTO pic.twitter.com/ft7sTpcCnV
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) January 27, 2023
The 23-year-old, who only recently returned from a break after suffering a rib injury on Springbok duty last November, was on crutches following the 35-5 loss at the Kingspan Stadium.
“I’m still not 100% sure what the extent of the injury is, but it’s not a small one,” Dobson said after the match.
“I just hope it doesn’t impact his ambitions at national level. I would be surprised if he plays for the Stormers again this season.”
REPORT: Ulster defeat depleted Stormers
While the Stormers were decisively beaten, they can be forgiven for thinking that every bit of fortune went against them in Ireland. Having travelled without a host of senior players, the Stormers lost flank Junior Pokomela and Clayton Blommetjies on Friday afternoon.
Pokomela was withdrawn due to precaution around the concussion he suffered against London Irish in Brentford, while Blommetjies suffered a groin strain.
The injury run got worse during the game as hooker JJ Kotze was stretchered off after a head clash with teammate Ben-Jason Dixon just three minutes in, before starting flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis also suffered a concussion in the first half.
This meant that the Stormers had to rework their backline, with Kade Wolhuter going from substitute to starting fullback, and work with a makeshift bench, which included two hookers after Andre-Hugo Venter was called up.
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