More misery for Evan Roos after Rugby Championship snub
Springboks number eight Evan Roos.
Springboks number eight Evan Roos will not be in action again this season after he made the decision to have an operation on a troublesome shoulder injury.
The 24-year-old was a surprise exclusion from Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus’ 33-man squad for the upcoming Rugby Championship campaign.
Jasper Wiese, who has been first choice, is sidelined for the Boks’ next two Tests after receiving a heavy suspension while on duty with Leicester Tigers in the Premiership, leaving Kwagga Smith to take the role against Ireland.
Elrigh Louw preferred at number eight
Earlier this week, Erasmus said he left Roos out of his squad for South Africa‘s two Tests against the Wallabies in Australia as he wants to see how Elrigh Louw fares in the international arena.
With Roos out of the picture, it looks like Louw and Rugby World Cup winner Smith will be involved in a direct duel to start at number eight in South Africa’s Rugby Championship opener with Australia in Brisbane on August 10.
The Stormers star started at the base of the scrum for the Springboks during their mid-year internationals against Wales and Portugal.
Erasmus’ comments on Roos gave an indication that the Stormers powerhouse might return to action later in the Rugby Championship, against New Zealand or Argentina.
However, that will not happen now after he confirmed that he opted to consult a specialist over a shoulder problem which has bothered him for close to a year.
‘Already a difficult operation’
“The specialist says if I don’t have surgery now, it’s only going to get worse,” Roos told Rapport. “It’s already a difficult operation with some of the cartilage in the shoulder gone.
“It’s sad, especially because there was maybe a chance to play for the Boks again. However, I can’t give them a 100 per cent with the injured shoulder.”
Roos is expected to be sidelined for the next four to six months which means he will miss the rest of the Springboks’ Rugby Championship Tests and their end-of-year tour to Europe, as well as the start of the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship campaign.
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