Springboks: Evan Roos opens up on ‘sad’ injury as John Dobson fumes over six-month ‘sacrifice’

Springboks back-rower Evan Roos has revealed the extent of his shoulder injury and how Stormers boss John Dobson reacted to his setback.

Roos was not selected for South Africa’s two Test matches against Australia in the Rugby Championship and opted to go under the knife to rectify an injury that has been troubling him.

Roos sidelined for six-months

He is now set to be sidelined for the next six months which will rule him out for the rest of the Springboks‘ season as well as the start of the Stormers‘ United Rugby Championship campaign.

The number eight confirmed the news in an interview with Afrikaans newspaper Rapport over the weekend, before he had spoken to the Stormers boss Dobson who was not pleased.

“I have to sort it out, it’s sad, I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself for the next six months,” Roos said on the Boks Office podcast.

“Dobbo [Dobson] is not happy. Last night at 12 o’clock I got the messages and he said ‘***** when is your op?’, I said ‘morning Dobbo, how was your weekend?’

“Then I had to give him all the facts and technicalities but the doctor told me that if I keep on playing with the injury then it is going keep on getting worse and cause more issues in the long run.”

Roos has been playing with the shoulder injury and admits that has impacted his game and after failing to make the Bok squad, he decided – with the advice of the doctors – to get the issue sorted out before it got any worse.

“So I have to sacrifice these six months now and get it sorted,” he said.

“It also doesn’t help I play with an injury and I cannot play to the level that I feel that I can.

“It was bearable but at a stage where it got so sore. I’ve never had a shoulder injury before so I had nothing to compare it to. But in the future, if I start having this again, then I know what’s going on.”

Evan Roos: ‘Now the Springboks can attack properly’

Stormers sign cover

While Dobson was not pleased to hear that his star man would be out for at least six months, he has already moved to sign injury cover in the form of ex-Exeter Chiefs and Ulster forward Dave Ewers.

The back-rower, who can also cover at lock, has signed a short-term contract to join the Stormers squad ahead of the 2024/25 season.

The Zimbabwean-born star played over 200 times for Exeter Chiefs where he won the Champions Cup and Premiership in 2020.

“Dave fits the profile of what we were looking for in the short-term, given we are missing some key loose forwards due to injury,” Dobson said.

“He has proven himself as a top player with the experience of what it takes to mix it with the best in Europe, so we are looking forward to seeing the impact he will have within our system.”

Ewers added: “I am originally from Zimbabwe, so to be back down south is very exciting and I am ready to get stuck in for the DHL Stormers.

“There are some incredible players in this squad and hopefully I can add something extra as we gear up for an exciting season.”

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