In the swirling vortex of rugby selections and heartbreaks, Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks' head honcho, has stirred up a storm by sidelining the Stormers' standout No 8, Evan Roos, from the primary squad for the Boks’ end-of-year tour. Despite his explosive form with four tries in just as many matches in the URC, Roos finds himself relegated to the standby crew, a decision that's got the rugby world buzzing.
Roos, at the ripe age of 25, has been capped eight times since his debut in 2022 but has made only a solitary appearance this year. It was a brief cameo off the bench against Italy in Port Elizabeth, far from enough to quench the thirst of his growing fanbase.
When probed about the conspicuous omission on social media, Erasmus didn’t mince his words.
"My friend, he’s a world-class player and will play many Test matches for the Boks, we just have two really good eights in Jasper [Wiese] and Kwagga [Smith] and in my opinion they are still delivering at a higher level than Evan! So who to drop?"
It’s clear that Erasmus is stuck between a rock and a hard place, with talent oozing in the back row department.
The coach further tantalized fans by hinting at a bright future for Roos, projecting confidence in his eventual rise to more consistent Test appearances, possibly pinning hopes on 2027 as the year of Roos. But for now, the young No 8 must keep grinding, his time under the sun presumably just beyond the horizon.
Amidst the chatter and debate, a poll circulating on X asks the biting question: Should rampant Roos be in the Bok squad? As the numbers tick in, it's clear that the public sentiment leans heavily towards a resounding 'Yes', echoing the disbelief and disappointment over his exclusion.
As the Springboks gear up for their tour, the spotlight, albeit not directly cast upon him, still flickers around the edges of Evan Roos, waiting for his chance to burst back into full beam.
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In the swirling vortex of rugby selections and heartbreaks, Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks' head honcho, has stirred up a storm by sidelining the Stormers' standout No 8, Evan Roos, from the primary squad for the Boks’ end-of-year tour. Despite his explosive form with four tries in just as many matches in the URC, Roos finds himself relegated to the standby crew, a decision that's got the rugby world buzzing.
Roos, at the ripe age of 25, has been capped eight times since his debut in 2022 but has made only a solitary appearance this year. It was a brief cameo off the bench against Italy in Port Elizabeth, far from enough to quench the thirst of his growing fanbase.
When probed about the conspicuous omission on social media, Erasmus didn’t mince his words.
"My friend, he’s a world-class player and will play many Test matches for the Boks, we just have two really good eights in Jasper [Wiese] and Kwagga [Smith] and in my opinion they are still delivering at a higher level than Evan! So who to drop?"
It’s clear that Erasmus is stuck between a rock and a hard place, with talent oozing in the back row department.The coach further tantalized fans by hinting at a bright future for Roos, projecting confidence in his eventual rise to more consistent Test appearances, possibly pinning hopes on 2027 as the year of Roos. But for now, the young No 8 must keep grinding, his time under the sun presumably just beyond the horizon.
Amidst the chatter and debate, a poll circulating on X asks the biting question: Should rampant Roos be in the Bok squad? As the numbers tick in, it's clear that the public sentiment leans heavily towards a resounding 'Yes', echoing the disbelief and disappointment over his exclusion.
As the Springboks gear up for their tour, the spotlight, albeit not directly cast upon him, still flickers around the edges of Evan Roos, waiting for his chance to burst back into full beam.